GHR sales site "Mirror Image"

Targeting a vulnerable consumer group

Stephens Manufacturing maintains a web page titled "Mirror Image presents GHR Personal"

http://www.wow-me.com/mirrorimage/frmain.htm

GHR is obviously targeting transgendered consumers with this page, using an image (named "trans.gif") of a man looking into a mirror and seeing a woman. The html source code for this GHR page lists as search engine keywords: "transgender, TG, transsexual, dragqueen, trannie, transvestite…"

GHR manufacturer Judith Stephens talks about the joys of being "beautiful, sleek, smooth." They lure customers who have "a significant amount of hair" and want to avoid "pain or prying eyes." The Mirror Image page also targets those who like to remove all of their pubic hair: "Remove hair painlessly from the most sensitive areas of your and your partner’s bodies."

For scams like the GHR Personal, transgendered women are the perfect target:

They are desperate to remove their hair quickly and are willing to believe anything.

Gender transition is very expensive. Permanent removal of masculine facial hair costs thousands of dollars and takes a very long time. Some are willing to try anything that might save them money.

They are often closeted and don’t want to seek professional hair removal for fear of being discovered.

When they find it doesn’t work as claimed, they usually won’t try to get their money back for fear of being outed.

Most transgendered women do not have the time or money to waste on scams, but that’s not a concern for GHR manufacturer Judith Stephens. Along with her bogus claim of permanent, and illegal claim of painless, Judith Stephens targets those seeking "personal and private" hair removal. She’s happy to exploit their vulnerability and desperation to make a buck.