Weight loss scams are among the most common scams and with good reason. Many people want to lose weight and most of the scam products promise to do that for you easily without diet or exercise.  According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in 2021 approximately 30% of all of the health care related scams involved  phony weight loss products and programs.  Weight loss scams are particularly prevalent at the start of the year as many people make New Year’s Resolutions about losing weight.

The unfortunate truth is that there is no magic formula for quick and easy weight loss without diet and exercise, but scammers continue to prey on people looking for that quick solution to their weight difficulties.  The Internet is filled with legitimate appearing websites and social media posts that tout scientifically unproven weight loss products and programs which often appear to be endorsed by various celebrities, however, many, if not most of these are just scams.

Some diet scams offer a free trial, but if you read the fine print (and rarely is there anything fine in fine print) you will find that you have signed up for a continuing, expensive program.

Recently the FTC issued new guidelines regarding false and misleading advertising claims for dietary supplements, weight loss products and other health care products.  Here is a link to those guidelines which can help you evaluate any weight loss product or other health care product that you may be considering.  https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/Health-Products-Compliance-Guidance.pdf

TIPS

The truth is that there are no quick fixes when it comes to weight loss and you should be wary of any product that promises you can lose tremendous amounts of weight quickly without dieting or exercise.  You should also be wary of any weight loss product that is sold exclusively either over the Internet or through mail-order advertisements. The best course of action is to ask your physician about the effectiveness of a particular weight loss product or program before you reduce your wallet in an effort to reduce your waistline.

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