Officials in the UK are trying to shut down a scam operation selling USB sticks it claims can protect users against "devastating effects caused by non-natural electric waves, particularly (but not limited to) 5G, for all biological life forms".
5G BioShield sells the sticks for a whopping £283 (NZ$563) each. The company claims they use " the most advanced technology... a uniquely applied process of quantum nano-layer technology, to balance the imbalanced electric oscillations arising from all electric fog induced by all devices such as: laptops, cordless phones, wlan, tablets".
The scam also claims the USB sticks bring "balance into the field at the atomic and cellular level restoring balanced effects to all harmful (ionised and non-ionised) radiation" for a distance of up to 40m when plugged in, and eight metres when it isn't.
Scientists say there's no danger from 5G waves, and tech experts told BBC News the BioShield sticks appear to be no more than basic USB drives.
"We consider it to be a scam," said Stephen Knight, operations director for London Trading Standards.
"People who are vulnerable need protection from this kind of unscrupulous trading."
The consumer watchdog is now working with police to take the scam down.
5G BioShield didn't respond to BBC News' request for a response. 5G BioShield's site was still accessible on Sunday afternoon (NZ time) when Newshub tested it.
Conspiracies around the 5G mobile network have run rife in recent months, with it being falsely blamed for all kinds of ills - even the COVID-19 pandemic. More than a dozen cell towers here in New Zealand have been set alight recently.
Vodafone spokesperson Tony Baird told Newshub earlier this month the fires have been "infuriating".
"They can have real connectivity impacts for New Zealanders - meaning people could have reduced mobile phone and internet coverage in an area with a damaged cell site."
Martin Sharrock of 2degrees agreed, saying the vandalism is dangerous.
"This is senseless activity and sadly, the greatest damage it causes is to the local homes and businesses who are having their technology cut off at a time when they need it most.”
5G waves are non-ionising, which means they can't damage the DNA in our cells, scientists say. The current standards limit telcos to 50 times below the harmful level of radiation.
"The radio waves used for 5G have frequencies that are ten thousand times too low to damage molecules," Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister Juliet Gerrard said last year. "The only fully documented way 5G radio waves can cause harm is through their heating effect and this can only happen at very high intensities."
Some of the towers that have been attacked don't even transmit 5G signals.
