For your eyes only: imposter threatens our investigation

A fake journalist has been threatening people in the beauty industry to stop them trashing EyEnvy.

A fake journalist has been threatening people in the beauty industry to stop them sharing links to an investigation by The Oz. 

A man has been masquerading as a journalist at "the Oz newspaper" in an elaborate ruse to stop people in the beauty industry from sharing links to our investigation into cult eyelash growth serum, EyEnvy, and the Australian distributor’s strange business practices.

In a voicemail, heard by The Oz, a man who identified himself as “Mark Harris from The Oz newspaper”, called a small business owner who had shared the article and advised them to stop doing so. 

The business owner, who asked not to be named due to fears of repercussions, received a 1 minute 11 second voicemail from an unknown number in which they were told The Oz's article had been retracted.

It was only when they contacted The Oz to speak to Harris they realised it was an imposter.

There is no journalist by that name working at The Oz or its parent publication The Australian.

The so-called “Harris” said The Oz had been “slapped” over the article and suggested the small business owner could face similar consequences if they continued to share it.

“Hi (redacted), I'm Mark Harris from the Oz newspaper. We've had a complaint from the ACCC about an article that we did right on the EyEnvy eyelash serum here...We actually have to do a retraction on the article," the voicemail said. "EyEnvy has the clearance in the TGA to actually sell in Australia, that is not an issue with the product. We have had our hands slapped and I suggest if you keep forwarding that article around that you might too...”

Both the TGA and ACCC confirmed it had not asked for a retraction, nor had any correspondence with a man named Mark Harris. 

A spokesman for EyEnvy's Australian distributor said they knew nothing about the phone call or the claims made by "Harris".

The Oz revealed in May the serum, which has a cult following in Australia, could be removed from shelves after Canadian health officials sprung EyEnvy for containing a secret prescription-only ingredient used to treat the eye disease glaucoma. 

The Canadian recall, issued in April, warned users that routine testing had discovered the presence of Isopropyl Cloprostenate, which is not listed on the serum's packaging. The Canadian HQ of EyEnvy has now folded.

EyEnvy’s Australian distributor, Max Mate, previously told The Oz he wasn't concerned about the recall because he claimed the undisclosed ingredient in question hadn't "found its way" into any products that had been exported to Australia and the ingredient had only affected "a couple of batches". 

But Canada's health warning showed the ban applied to "all lots" of EyEnvy and not a specific batch. 

The Oz understands all EyEnvy serum is made in the same place by the same American manufacturer.

The TGA told The Oz this week it had never given EyEnvy its tick of approval to be sold in Australia. 

“To be legally supplied in Australia, therapeutic goods (goods that make therapeutic claims) must be included in the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods,” a spokeswoman said.

“The product, EyEnvy is not in the ARTG and therefore has not been approved by the TGA for supply as a therapeutic good in Australia.”

A good is considered therapeutic if it “influences, inhibits or modifies a physiological process” such as lash growth. 

EyEnvy Australia’s website promotes the serum as a “lash conditioner” that “provides length, fullness, thickness and darkness to your own natural lashes, making you look like the star that you are.”

During its original investigation The Oz revealed EyEnvy's Australian distributors who sell the product to beauticians across the country and also go under the name 'Miss M Beauty', forbid stockists from selling the serum online or publicly disclosing the price.

They also tell beauty salons their phones and accounts are being "tracked" with "worms" to alert them if the $120 cost is made public.

As part of its investigation The Oz spoke to a dozen small business owners - both current and former retailers - about the product. 

They said the product "works better" than every other serum that’s legal in Australia but there was "no transparency around pricing and they tell us we aren’t allowed to advertise the price anywhere online, socials etc.” There are also complaints about the serum causing bloodshot or irritated eyes and making them "look high".

Emails to beauticians, seen by The Oz, reveal Australian stock of the cult serum is running at an all-time-low due to the Canadian company's closure. But a spokesman for Miss M Beauty confirmed it still planned to take over the closed Canadian company’s license and continue its domestic operation.