'Wear the magic ring': $400 sales pitch to seniors in China draws regulatory investigation

A 2,699-yuan ring marketed to seniors in China to help prevent falls is being investigated after the physical trick behind the promotion worked without it.

Here's what to know

The Brainkey "Jiwo" smart ring was promoted as a fall-prevention wearable on platforms including WeChat's mini-store, according to Trending on Weibo. It was listed at ¥2,699, or just over $400 USD.

Chinese market regulators are investigating the product's marketing claims. Its listings were removed after popular Chinese tech entrepreneur Fu Sheng called it a scam. A Chinese YouTuber with English auto-dubbing also analyzed the debunked claims.

In promotional videos, elderly participants appeared to resist another person's push while standing on one leg. 

These videos also used technical-sounding language in their sales pitch. The ring was presented as able to "assist the vestibular system's perception of balance and nerve signal transmission" and "rebuild the balance instinct".

One video caption put the promise more plainly: "Wear the magic ring and you won't easily fall."

Sheng's explanation pointed to the "rooting" technique in martial arts, which produced the apparent balancing effect, not the ring. A participant can be made to look immovable by coordinating a weight shift with gentle downward pressure on their shoulder.

Where can I learn more?

The ring controversy highlights the risks older shoppers face from misleading sales pitches.

• Older Americans' six-figure scam losses grew nearly sevenfold in five years, the FTC says.

• For one parent shopping on Amazon, memory loss turned one order into four clocks.

• Across the U.S., mall skincare stores turned free samples into $50,000 bills for vulnerable shoppers.

• In China, a viral gourd craze brought crowds to an elderly couple's home, prompting a crackdown.

• In Scotland, six in 10 consumers suffered harm last year, with young adults at greatest risk.

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