New Year, Same Old Weight Loss Tricks
Online scammers are notorious for promoting deceptive products, particularly in the realm of weight loss. Unscrupulous individuals often post enticing ads for items like weight loss pills, patches, or creams. To appear more convincing, these ads sometimes mimic news reports, touting a "miraculous" new solution for shedding pounds effortlessly—without the need for dieting or exercising. Unfortunately, the reality falls far short of these promises.
Falsified Endorsements and Reviews
Scammers take it a step further by making their ads look like legit news reports, claiming a "miraculous" product that magically melts away pounds without any effort. They might even steal logos from real news organizations to make it seem legit.
And those fantastic reviews? Often written by the scammers themselves or folks paid to say nice things. The dramatic "before" and "after" pictures? Usually stock images or altered photos, not real success stories.
Watch Out for Red Flags: False Promises
To steer clear of these scams, keep an eye out for these too-good-to-be-true promises:
- No Diet Needed: Anyone saying you can lose weight without watching what you eat is likely pulling a fast one.
- Permanent Weight Loss Claims: If a product promises you'll never gain weight back, it's probably a scam. Real weight loss involves lifestyle changes, not quick fixes.
- Miracle Pills: Be cautious if someone says their product is a magic pill for weight loss. Real results come from a mix of healthy habits.
- Rapid Weight Loss Pitches: If someone claims you can drop 30 pounds in 30 days, it's a scam. Sustainable weight loss takes time.
- One-Size-Fits-All Assurance: If they say their product works for everyone, it's likely a scam. People's bodies react differently to weight loss methods.
Taking Action: Report Suspected Scams
If you spot these warning signs, don't keep it to yourself. Help others by reporting scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or you can report scams here at ScamAdviser. By staying aware and sharing your experiences, you play a role in fighting back against deceptive practices online.
This article was published in collaboration with the Federal Trade Commission.
Report a Scam!
Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!
Scam Categories
Help & Info
Popular Stories
As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu
So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking. If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller. The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the
