Stuttering Cure Scams!

BigPhil

I was reading through a few posts over on www.stutteringforum.com and it just dawned on me the amount of scams out there that are trying to make a serious amount of cash out of people that have stutters.

Okay most people know about the Speech Easy, a small voice relay device that probably costs around €5 or less to make in China yet costs a few €1k on the open market. But I wasn't aware of people that pretend to have had a stammer that they have apparently over-come just so they can make a dishonest few quid.

On guy in America called Andrew Bell is going around Toastmasters and other public speaking seminars claiming that he has cured himself of stuttering and can pass on his amazing technique to other people that might need his help. Not surprising most of the people on other forums have dismissed him as a fraud, mainly because his speech is absolutely flawless even though he is 30 years old and claims to have stammered for 27 of those years (approximate ages).

It just got me thinking, the stuttering 'cure' industry must be worth millions, just like the 'prevent baldness' & 'anti-aging' industries.

Anyway, check out the video and see what you think:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPKWwKGVVhI

Stephen P

I don't buy it. I think he's trying to make a quick buck off innocent people. Only in America!!

Bass Cadet

I can't see the embedded video as I'm in work but yep, its a big-bucks industry. If you do enough research though you can always seperate the con from the legitimate. A good guideline is to steer clear of anything that claims to be a 'cure' for stammering as we all know that no matter how fluent you become, you can never say you're fully 'cured'. Afterall its not a disease, even fluent people stutter from time to time, just ask Bertie

Stephen, believe me, its not only in America!

BigPhil

stephen p wrote: »

I don't buy it. I think he's trying to make a quick buck off innocent people. Only in America!!

My thoughts exactly. He is far too confident and articulate and he doesn't show any signs of ever having a speech problem. Even a person who stammered for years and worked on it everyday to the point that it was really hard to tell that they had a stammer would have a few slip-ups here or there. I think this guy is a total fraud!

BigPhil

Another 'miracle' cure. Does anybody actually believe that people can achieve this sort of fluency *in such a sort space of time?

(*he said in the source where I got this that he stuttered since he was 4 and now after 5 months he is totally fluent).

ParkRunner

That guy (above) looks pretty legit to me i have to say. He looks like he is really concentrating on using his technique and is under no rush to get the words out so he has every chance of speaking fluently. Whether or not he could stay that composed in everyday situations is another thing.

It is pretty amazing that he didnt even have one blip throughout the whole speech but the concept of just focusing on the first word of each sentence and not looking any further is interesting. I know when I try to speak my head sometimes can be going crazy with all the words flying around in there so I can see some benefit to this approach

Stephen P

Thats a very good video, thanks Phil for posting it!
I agree with EF, he looks pretty legit. Its certainly an interesting technique he talked about. Wonder who this Andrew is and what the technique is called??

BigPhil

I don't know guys, call me a pessimist but I've stuttered for as long as that guy says he has and there is no way that I could stand up in front of an audience and give a flawless speech for 5 minutes without making one or two mistakes. I'd actually probably stutter like crazy and the 5 minute speech would end up being a 10 minutes speech

@ Stephen P. That guy Andrew is the bloke on the first video that I posted on the thread (his name is actually Andrew Greenstein and not Andrew Bell like a first posted). He uses the "passive air flow technique" that was created by Dr Martin Schwartz.

Here is a PDF on Dr. Schwartz's technique.

Ptenne

Hello,

What scam are you all talking about. I don't hear this guy selling anything.
What I hear is a technique that is being carried out to it's fullest.

The scam my friends is the illusion that there's nothing out there to help poeple who stutter. The scam is the fear that keeps people who stutter chained to the past.

I'm that guy in the video and I've let go of my chains.
Andrew did not sell me anything. He took time out of his busy life to help a fellow stutterer. The technique works if you are willing to let go.

any takers?????????

BigPhil

Ptenne wrote: »

Hello,

What scam are you all talking about. I don't hear this guy selling anything.
What I hear is a technique that is being carried out to it's fullest.

The scam my friends is the illusion that there's nothing out there to help poeple who stutter. The scam is the fear that keeps people who stutter chained to the past.

I'm that guy in the video and I've let go of my chains.
Andrew did not sell me anything. He took time out of his busy life to help a fellow stutterer. The technique works if you are willing to let go.

any takers?????????

Any proof?????????

Ptenne

I'll give you any proof you need.........First of all, explain to me what is the scam that you are referring to..
A scam by definition is "A ploy by a shyster to raise money"
Who is asking for any money.

We are people who stutter that have found a technique that works and are willing to share the knowledge.

So, I ask you again. "What proof do you want?"

BigPhil

The proof I was referring to was about your legitimacy. Anybody in the world could come on here and say 'That guy in the video is me', damn I could be that guy in the video because I was the one that posted it up in this thread. Do you know what I mean?

In saying that of course I would like to be able to speak like Andrew and Pascal as they both sound like they have never stuttered in their lives and anybody who has a stutter would like to be able to reach the same fluency.

You have to understand my scepticism, the stuttering 'cure' industry is worth millions of dollars a year and the vast majority of that it not legitimate.

Ptenne

I understand your skepticism............But as I stated, Andrew and I are not selling anything. We are just sharing ideas and our stories.

That is me in the video..........If you want to contact me off this forum.

pasquale@daubert.com

There is hope for people who believe and search for it.


Pasquale

petesdragon

BigPhil wrote: »

The proof I was referring to was about your legitimacy. Anybody in the world could come on here and say 'That guy in the video is me', damn I could be that guy in the video because I was the one that posted it up in this thread. Do you know what I mean?

In saying that of course I would like to be able to speak like Andrew and Pascal as they both sound like they have never stuttered in their lives and anybody who has a stutter would like to be able to reach the same fluency.

You have to understand my scepticism, the stuttering 'cure' industry is worth millions of dollars a year and the vast majority of that it not legitimate.

It is hard to believe. That is what makes it so wonderful. Dreams that come true are like that. Except this dream took a lot of work. Thirty one years of practice that saved me from never being able to express myself.
I know Andrew and Pascal and am proud and happy to share that dream come true. Look at me now........yahoooooo.

petesdragon

Ptenne wrote: »

I understand your skepticism............But as I stated, Andrew and I are not selling anything. We are just sharing ideas and our stories.

That is me in the video..........If you want to contact me off this forum.

[EMAIL="pasquale@daubert.com"]pasquale@daubert.com[/EMAIL]

There is hope for people who believe and search for it.


Pasquale

Hi Pasquale

Long time no talk... So glad to see your post as it reminds me of how truly fortunate we are. I will give you a call.
May the Schwartz be with you.
Elliot