I remember watching Western TV shows back in the ‘60s, and occasionally, there would be a character selling a cure-all for what ails ya. 

Grandstanding from the back of their wagon, these “snake oil” salesmen would pitch their too-good-to-be-true wares on an unsuspecting public.  Their concoction, usually some alcohol-based remedy, was touted as a medicinal tonic.  Their bottled salvation always promised more than it could deliver, which is why snake oil salesmen rarely stayed in one town for too long.

It occurs to me that we have a modern version of snake oil salesmen amongst us.  These 21st-century frauds hope to make big bucks in a short time by hawking their wares, selling thousands, if not millions, before suddenly disappearing from the scene. Where do we find these contemporary charlatans?

Facebook Ads.

Now I learn of a new TV game show, Snake Oil, debuting soon. Contestants must listen to convincing entrepreneurs pitch their unique products and discern which ones are real versus fake.  Sounds like a typical day on Facebook.

To be fair, not everything advertised on Facebook falls into this unseemly category.  But have you noticed the many ads for everlasting cookware, guaranteed weight-loss products, or the latest affordable fashions?  I scanned through several women’s clothing ads on my wife’s Facebook account, each with an almost identical narrative but a different company name.  These new dresses promise to make you feel cozy, and they look like a million bucks. My wife once ordered an attractive dress advertised as made in North Carolina.  Weeks later, a plastic-feeling, paper-thin version of the dress arrived…from China.

My personal favorite “snake oils” are the Facebook golf ads that promise to shave strokes off your game.  I’d expect to make a birdie on every hole if I bought everything advertised. 

Social media, for all its benefits, has its risks.  Not the least of which are snake oil sales in disguise — which is why I never buy anything advertised on Facebook.  If it intrigues me, I research the product and the company and follow links other than those provided by Facebook to make a purchase. 

Whenever I see an ad on Facebook, my mind races back to the 1960s, and I imagine a loud-mouthed, smooth-talking snake oil salesman shouting from the back of his wagon.  

And then I walk away.