Legitimate Tongkat Ali
Many people worry whether a website they are considering buying from sells genuine Tongkat Ali or counterfeit products.
While I do not make recommendations for specific sellers, I do reply if people ask me whether a certain site is legitimate or selling fake products.
However, anyone can perform a quick check on their own.
By far, the best indicator of a genuine source is proper photographic evidence.
This should include photos of their premises and building structures, photos of their raw products, photos of the production process, and photographic evidence of their stock and distribution claims.
Conversely, some sites simply integrate stolen photos of massive lab facilities that do not belong to them at all. A genuine company that publishes photos will ensure that its name or logo is visible in the images.
The following are NOT proof of a legitimate operation:
1.) Licenses – The most relevant licenses for an Indonesian source are registration numbers from the Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM) or local health department permits (such as a Nomor Depkes or P-IRT). Displaying random, unrelated international business licenses often serves the purpose of misleading potential buyers.
2.) Fabricated certificates of analysis – a certificate of analysis is only credible if it comes from an independent, third-party laboratory. If it is written by the manufacturer itself, it is plain window dressing.
Sometimes I am truly surprised by how easily internet buyers fall victim to scams. What would stop fraudsters from setting up a website with fake documentation to sell a fake product made from random leaves and tree debris from the nearest park? You guessed it: nothing.