The truth about energy saving devices sold widely on the internet?
For only 100,000 - 300,000 VND, consumers can buy an energy-saving device on the online market. If these devices are really as effective as advertised, this price is really a bargain. However, how effective are these devices?
A walk around the online market shows that energy-saving devices are being sold everywhere, with surprisingly low prices. According to the traders, these devices help reduce electricity consumption by plugging the device directly into the electrical outlet.
If you follow the instructions, customers will reduce 40-50% of total electricity consumption. Simply put, a family that has to pay 4 million VND for electricity every month will now only have to pay 2 million VND.
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| Devices advertised as energy-saving are widely sold on e-commerce platforms. |
After hearing the advertisement, Ms. Nguyen Binh (Long Bien, Hanoi) immediately ordered 2 devices for 600,000 VND. But after buying and using them, her electricity bill not only decreased but also increased.
"My family thought that the electricity bill would decrease next month, but it actually increased. So my husband and I took the device apart to check it, but unexpectedly, inside there was only a fuse, a few resistors and 2 LED bulbs," she said.
Ms. Binh also added that after seeing that the device was ineffective, she texted the seller but received no response. "Honestly, at first I felt sorry for the electricity bill so I bought whatever people told me to. Now that I think about it, it was my fault for not researching the information carefully. There is no way such a 'magical' device could be so cheap."
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| According to the seller's advertisement, customers only need to plug the device into a power source to reduce electricity consumption. |
Similarly, Mr. Tung Duong (Ha Dong, Hanoi) also bought a device that was supposed to save electricity for 120,000 VND. He said that the product was not as sacred as the seller advertised that it could protect and prolong the life of electronic devices such as TVs, computers, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Not only that, when he plugged the device into the power source, he felt unsafe so he threw it away after the first use.
"Most of the products that are said to save electricity are sold online, so it is difficult to verify. So with electronic products, I think you have to go see them in person and not buy them carelessly, which will not only waste your money but also bring more frustration to yourself" - Mr. Duong said.
In response to the news that many people have been scammed by buying fake energy-saving devices, the Department of Competition and Consumer Protection has issued a warning. Accordingly, consumers need to carefully research information before buying and using devices advertised as having energy-saving functions. They should use low-energy consuming devices labeled as energy-saving and have been tested, and should not use imported energy-saving devices that are floating on the market.