TBF Statement
"Get up to $115k now"
Today's edition was discovered by an SD211 student! What do organizations mean when they say you can win, earn, or receive rebates up to some amount? We look at a close-to-home example: the US Navy!
"Get up to $115k now"
This TBF comes from the Navy's main webpage with an enticing "up to $115k" dollar amount.
True?: Yes, some people could receive $115k in compensation.
Intention? ...to convince you that the full $115k is within YOUR grasp if you enlist.
False?:
Today's TBF is a misconception about outliers. Sure, someone might get $115k total, but it's probably not most people. What is wrong with stating the max possible? Some studies have shown that consumers mistakenly "believe 'up to' claims promise maximum results". Read that FTC link for an interesting report on similar claims from window replacement companies that save "up to 47%" in energy savings.
The fact of the matter is that $65k of the Navy's $115k are for "qualifying loan" repayments. So unless you have such loans, then immediately the relevant number for you is instead "up to $50k". Another $8k is for a future "college credit bonus", so again, your immediate payout is more likely "up to $42k". Finally, this number is dependent on which Rate you go into. The Missile Technician gets $5k compared to the Nuclear Field at $38k. In fact, most of rates are less than $20k, but saying "most get around $20k" is not as enticing.
Moral of the story: don't just report outliers without providing other statistics.