A woman dreamed of owning her own beauty studio, but instead of success and financial independence, she experienced debt and disappointment.
A woman dreamed of having her own beauty studio to help people lose weight with an ultrasound machine. But instead of success and financial independence, she experienced debt and disappointment. -Getty
The most important thing in brief
- A beauty entrepreneur accuses a slimming millionaire of fraud.
- The woman was lured by an advertisement on Instagram.
- Today the woman is stuck with debts amounting to 50,000 francs.
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A woman dreamed of a successful career in the beauty industry. She wanted to use a modern ultrasound device to help people lose weight without having to exercise or diet.
In 2020, an advertisement on Instagram drew her attention to the business model of an Austrian company and its founder, who is celebrated as a self-made millionaire on social media.
Have you ever responded to an Instagram ad?
The concept: Open a studio, use a special device and earn money without much effort. The promises sounded tempting – the woman was supposed to make quick profits with an investment of 5,000 to 10,000 euros. But the reality looked completely different, as the “Observer” reports – but more on that later.
Suddenly a lot of costs were added…
“After seeing the advertisement again and again, I filled out a form and requested information,” the woman reveals. She finally accepted the tempting offer and opened a studio. But the costs grew quickly.
The equipment she was supposed to purchase or lease was much more expensive than she initially expected. She finally agreed to a leasing contract for 39,000 francs, which later increased to over 50,000 francs.
In addition, she had to purchase a license that would cost 800 francs a month over four years, as well as training worth 7,500 francs. Despite her concerns, she got involved in the business, borrowed money from her family and signed the contracts.
Instead of high sales, we struggled with high costs and debts
However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, her studio was only able to open in May 2020. The promised success did not materialize. Instead of the expected sales, the woman was now struggling with high running costs and debts. What’s more, the expensive device broke just a few months after it opened.
When she contacted the supplier, she learned that it was registered as used and was no longer under warranty. The companies involved blamed each other. The woman was caught between unclear contracts and unfulfilled promises.
A woman has fallen into debt because she followed an Instagram ad. – Schwyz Cantonal Police
In desperation, she looked for other sufferers and came across a self-help group with around 70 people. They all had similar experiences. But when she publicly called the founder of the business model a fraudster, she was convicted of libel.
Today the woman is stuck with debts amounting to 50,000 francs and the device is gathering dust in her basement. She feels betrayed and hopes to get justice one day. The biggest mistake of her life, she says, was trusting these companies.
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