Wednesday, 28 November 2012

The Story Behind the Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge Saga



Scroll down to "Diet Plan" to view or download.


Ashy Bines and Steven Evans began running Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge in 2011. It began with approximately 600 members, and has grown by over a few thousand.

The idea of the plan was to help women achieve the "perfect bikini body" by dieting and working out. Although there were those women who achieved results, there are also an equal, if not more, amount of ex-clients that are unhappy with the claims, service, the plan itself, and the emails received.

I would also like to add: the ex-clients/customers who are/were unhappy, are NOT simply complaining because they thought this was a quick fix, or because they couldn't stick to it. These reasons will be explained further in the blog.

This is not actually a book, nor is her "weekly booklet", a book, which is very misleading.

The plan is also advertised at certain amounts, and most customers don't know they have paid extra in GST until they receive their bank statements or Tax Invoices. You wont receive an actual receipt from Ashy or Steven, as they claim the Tax Invoice is the receipt, when it is not. The fact that they charge GST without adding it to the total advertised price, is illegal.

A claim by Ashy, Steven, or a staff member on the Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge Facebook page.




Two different customer's bank statement details. The account on the right has been charged GST, while the one on the left only paid the advertised price.

Half of her before, and afters are also taken without permission from other sites not associated with ABBBC. In fact, a Google search found that some of the images posted were of fitness models who aren't even based in Australia. One of the results was of Franchesca Hartman.

"The forum is full of nasty girls who are Ashys lap dogs. If you don't go with the conformity then your booted and put down. There's a cat fight every night because there are no admins on at night. It's a waste of money. It's very sad because this scamming woman is making a lot of money out of vulnerable girls. It's no wonder none of the original girls are on there."





"I joined the Facebook group for Ashy Bines and was intending to purchase the book but her horrendous spelling on status updates put me off. I know a couple of people who've done the 12 week programme twice and I can't say they look any different. What's wrong with eating fruit, veg, lean proteins and not as much carbs?"

"Ps whoever mentioned the 'cultness' of it all: I totally agree!"

I have put quite a bit of research into this topic, and after reading all of the comments and testimonials from a large chunk of women, I have to agree with all of the above. Nasty, catty, Ashy wannabes who tear people apart if they dare challenge anything or ask questions.

Plus, it's just a high protein, low fat low carb diet, nothing special or amazing, just common sense.

The other thing that put me off was that she claims her 'look' is 90% diet 10% exercise, when really that's untrue. She is a "fitness trainer" and she is burning huge amounts of calories.

I actually agree with the basis of the diet 100%. It's the cost, the revolting "we love you Ashy! Everyone's just haters!" members and the false claims she makes about how to achieve her look, which, as by her own admission, is partly plastic surgery.

I would certainly not recommend this "plan". I say "plan," because it is not actually a plan. It is a couple of .PDF documents filled with info copied and pasted from Google search results, except they have clearly added in plenty of spelling and grammar mistakes.

I was interested in reading the documents which I did find helpful to get me on my path to clean eating, however, the lifetime access to support from Ashy Bines is nothing more than a marketing scam to get you in the door, as I am one of many that have been kicked out of the "forum" that is supposed to give me the lifetime support. I have also had emails go unanswered.

Clearly, I paid $69 + GST for not even a few pieces of paper, for a FREE email and FREE Facebook group "forum."



Both Ashy's and Steven's qualifications are questionable. You can try and ask about them, but you will more than likely get kicked off of the forum and blocked from posting on the public page, though.

One would think, that to show everyone up about "having no qualifications," would be to upload a scanned copy of them, or at least quote the organisation in which you achieved those qualifications. But nothing of the sort has happened. Something to hide perhaps?? There is also evidence that neither of them have even finished their courses, so do not actually have completion certificates. 

The "certificate" Ashy has flashed in her marketing video, isn't even real. When contacted, the institute confirmed that Ashy had not studied there, and that it was not an online course.

People have been given wrong advice, with breastfeeding and expectant mothers told the diet is fine for them, even when qualified specialists don't recommend it. Only recently have I seen a copy and pasted article posted on their page warning them that the diet is not for them. Perhaps they should have asked a doctor and nutritionist prior to selling this plan if it was suitable for mothers and mothers to be. This plan is also NOT recommended for those on medications, or, if you also purchase the supplements and protein shakes, for the lactose intolerant, with out some help from doctors and pharmacists.
Because she is telling people to "Google it" when asked questions, you have around 15,000-20,000 other girls that think they are professionals that add their own opinions, almost shoving them down your throat, because of that advice, which in almost half of the cases, is incorrect info. There is so much incorrect information that can result from a Google search, and Ashy Bines or her team are not there correcting and helping those with these questions regarding their health while on this plan.


For the Diet Plan, recipes and any other info you require, just send an email to:

freeamazingdietbodytransformationsdietplan@mail.com

and they'll be able to help you with anything you need.

  • No plan emailed, and no direction or instructions as to where to obtain it, just a link to a facebook group. Newer members may get an email with their personal log in details to a forum, where they are required to download the plan from there, rather than receiving it once the payment has been made. 
  • When you finally figure out where to obtain the "plan," it's just a bunch of recipes put together by the forum members free of charge, and info straight off of the internet that has been plagiarized, and made to be Ashy's own recipes. 
  • The facebook group/forum is not only not supportive but incredibly abusive. There is a lack of both support and advice from "professionals," and if you have any constructive criticism about the diet or the forum, or any advice on how to improve anything, you'll get shut down rudely, bullied, deleted off of the forum and blocked from everything without warning. 
  • The refund policy is simply "no refunds," and apparently Ashy and Steven have the right to delete and block you without any warning, if you say anything that upsets her, or anything bad regarding their work ethics. Australian laws state that offering no refunds is illegal, and since Ashy and Steven's business began in Broadbeach, Queensland, they fall under Australian Laws, and are not exempt. 
  • Ashy very rarely replies to any questions like she promises too. On the rare occasion that she does, she'll almost always say "google it babe."



Image taken from one of Ashy Bines - Waste of $ photo albums.


Ashy and Steve only registered the Business 19th April 2012, so any transactions they have made previous to this, they have not paid ANY TAX on at all. So all Profits have gone to them personally. Also, the Company is registered as an Australian Proprietary Limited Company. This means that the company has to have share holders, in this case, there are none, and can be sued or sue, gross operating revenue of less than $10 million for the financial year, assets of less than $5 million at the end of a financial year and fewer than 50 employees at the end of a financial year.

A quote from a concerned customer:

"Some facts that have been uncovered or discovered during my phone calls to my bank, Fair Trading Qld and the ACCC in the past two days:


  • Ashy Bines business/company/whatever it is, displays (visible only to my bank, not on my credit card statement) as "Sporting Goods Store" 
  • Fair Trading advised that whenever entering into a purchase with any online business that you should ensure that you have their ABN, a phone contact and an actual business address, not just a website address. 
  • I did not receive a Tax Invoice, including the GST from Ashy Bines which I should have received. 
  • The Ashy Bines Clean Eating Diet Plan website is not an Australian based website as it is ".com" (I don't think this is in breach of anything, but it did alert Fair Trading to thinking that I was dealing with an overseas business, until I advised them that they were based here on the Gold Coast) 
  • I have contacted the ACCC and outlined my issues/concerns with the business/company and the product sold to me. They have advised me that they are in breach of Section 18 and Section 48 (Component Pricing - where they have stated a single price, only then to charge a different price that included GST). The ACCC has today logged my complaint against this business and will be following through on that. Should they receive enough complaints, the investigation into this business will then be listed on their website (you will be able to search on their search bar on the main ACCC website if this is the case). The lady I spoke to was unable to tell me if they had received any other complaints against this business as all calls are understandably in complete confidence."




Almost half of ABBBC customers received payment details relating to We United, when they paid for Ashy Bines plan. We United is Steven Evans business and email name.

Her business partner and fiancé, Steven Evans, of Obesity Prevention Australia, and Donate Your Unwanted Fat To Charity fame, has stalked, harassed, and threatened former members. The ABBBC company claim to be taking legal action against the "haters," especially the woman who took the first steps in getting a refund and making a formal complaint, and to have them shut down, for "stealing copyrighted work," harassing, slander, and defamation of the Ashy Bines name, when their own work is plagiarised and not suited for everyone and has no warnings on certain health issues or who it is recommended for. Instead, for this information, Ashy simply states, "why didn't you do your research before purchasing!" And so will her followers, continued by personal attacks and name calling, before being blocked or ignored by staff.

One of Steven's threats was directed at a woman's child, there is one account of her "plan" being directly linked to another woman's miscarriage (as stated by qualified doctors and nurses), and another directly linked to a woman's life threatening heart condition and stomach inflammations (also stated by qualified doctors).

Credit:
Most of these comments can be found on Ashy Bines - Waste Of $ Facebook page, in the notes section.

For more information, or proof on the subject, please feel free to follow the below links. They will take you to comments, testimonials, and evidence of abuse and plagiarism, but also the Ashy Bines Bikini Body Challenge page itself.

If you have any comments, feel free to leave them below. For questions, follow the below link to Ashy Bines - Waste Of $ Facebook page, as they will be able to answer them more accurately.

Thanks for taking the time to read. :)



8 comments:

  1. Well done again Bernadette :-)

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  2. Awesome- I made a complaint to fair trading in Australia and I also notified a scam watchdog in New Zealand where she is also peddling this bullshit. (I am ashamed to say I am a victim of) I will find out the NZ equivilent of fair trading and report it there. What more can we do- I'd love to take this further.

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    Replies
    1. As far as I'm aware, you've done all that can be done by one individual. There was talk of a group lawsuit against abbbc, but I think they didn't get enough support/persons to testify :/
      You can send an email to anneclaireo35@gmail.com for any further info, but be aware that they get flooded with emails daily, so don't expect an instant reply :P

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  3. I loved reading this you have nailed everything! Hopefully people will understand what ashy bines is really like !

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  4. Before they registered for a company they were Sole traders hence they did pay tax. Also they might be the sole share holders in their company, ever think of that? You have no idea about business.

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  5. I did lose weight on the plan (17kg) but gained 9kg back after stopping it for a month or so when I was sick. Some of the recipes are good and some of them I don't like. I thought there would be more to it as I only got the recipes , vegan meal plan and clean eating guide. There wasn't any info on it about exercise (apart from going for a walk) and them saying to workout. I hardly post on the forum now as I'm afraid if I say something that they won't like I'll get harassed for it. Some of the ingredients are pricey too, like cacao powder is like $15 where I live and if you don't have all the ingredients on the recipe and replace it with something "bad" its considered unclean. I feel full and sick all the time

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  6. The only form of plastic surgery she has had is breast implants. Why is that so bad? She's not faking a bikini body with her diet/fitness program by having fake boobs. You can't get full, plump, big, rounded breasts from working out/eating clean.

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