Target Marketing

• According to FTC informercial transcripts and screen shots from Kinoki's former website (which has since been shut down by the FTC), Kinoki Cleansing Detox Foot Pads purportedly drew out "toxins" while users slept. The pads were applied to the bottom of the feet through use of an adhesive, similar to a large Band-Aid. In the morning, consumers were assured that "toxins," "parasites" and "heavy metals" would pass into the pads through the feet. Other claims Kinoki Cleansing Foot Pads made were that they would cure headaches, fatigue, depression and a weak immune system. Additionally, Kinoki asserted that the cleansing foot pads would remove cellulite and aid in weight loss.
  
  Kinoki advertisements assured consumers that if they kept using the foot pads, the pads would become "lighter" in color over time until all of the "toxins" in their body were removed. The business's former website listed the "all-natural" ingredients in the foot pads as bamboo vinegar, tourmaline, chitin and "detox herbs." A 2-week supply of foot pads sold for $19.95 plus $9.95 for shipping and handling.
  
  

20/20: Kinoki Debunked

• In April 2008, ABC's "20/20" launched an investigative report on Kinoki Foot Pads called "Ridding Yourself of Toxins, or Money?" (see Resources). A blind study conducted by "20/20" revealed that participants noted no difference in the way they felt after using the foot pads. Environmental medicine specialist George Friedman-Jimenez, director of the Bellevue/New York University Occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic in New York City, pointed out that the only benefit Kinoki Foot Pads had was the placebo effect that they had on consumers. Laboratory studies conducted by "20/20" revealed that a used Kinoki Foot Pad contained no chemicals or heavy metals, and that in fact, the pads turned brown when exposed to moisture, be it by the sweat excreted by the foot or plain distilled water. The debunking of Kinoki's body cleansing claims by "20/20" led to subsequent media attention (see Resources), alerting the consumer public to the food pad scam.
  
  

FTC Intervention

• In January of 2009, the FTC issued a permanent injunction against Xacta 3000, Inc. and corporate officers Baruch Levin and Yehuda (aka Juda) Levin to prevent them from further defrauding consumers by selling Kinoki cleansing foot pads. The company was found to be in violation of an FTC act which prohibits deceptive acts in or affecting commerce. What Kinoki claims did the FTC find to be untrue? Essentially, all of them. Kinoki cleansing foot pads were recalled and can no longer be found on the shelves of well-known stores such as Walgreens or Bed, Bath & Beyond, although some surfaced on resale sites such as Craigslist and eBay.
  
  Kinoki brand foot pads may be no longer, but there are an abundance of Internet scammers who picked up the gauntlet. "Detox" foot pads continue to be sold on the Internet under other names, such as Dr. Group's Foot Pads, Acupeds, Bioqure and many others. All the products make similar claims as Kinoki.