Weight loss medications such as Wegovy and Ozempic have exploded in popularity in recent years. causing a shortage. Amid the surge in demand, scammers on social media have taken notice by offering to ship weight-loss medications at lower prices – and without a prescription.
A joint research conducted from February through April by the nonprofits Alliance for Digital Citizens And Coalition for a Safer Internet examined dozens of TikTok profiles offering to sell the prescription weight loss medications at lower prices. In almost every situation, the transaction turned out to be a scam.
Some of the videos researchers found promoting the weight-loss drugs used testimonials, along with before and after photos showing what appeared to be the results. One video included a purported customer's comment, saying, “Great product, fast shipping and I've already lost 16 pounds.”
However, the researchers said that all of these videos were actually scams to lure vulnerable buyers in the hope of losing weight.
“As we searched for it over time because of Tiktok's algorithm, they started looking for us. So it was not difficult to find several dozen operators offering Ozempic. In every case we found, they were scammers “, says Tom Galvin of the Digital Citizens Alliance.
Galvin said he had dozens of online chats with sellers. Some claimed to be legitimate pharmacies offering Ozempic, Mounjaro and Wegovy.
The alleged scammers accepted payments through online services such as Zelle, PayPal and Venmo, but investigators said they never received any products.
TikTok told CBS News in response to the investigation that it has removed accounts that violate its guidelines.
A spokesperson for TikTok said it has “strong policies prohibiting this behavior.” The company added that it “proactively identifies 95% of the content it removes for violating US anti-drug and anti-fraud regulations”
Galvin said consumers duped by advertising can be harmed in a number of ways.
“One is that you are being scammed. Two is that you are given medicines that are counterfeit and harmful. And three is that you are actually given Ozempic, but it cannot be that you are not taking Ozempic under the supervision of a doctor.” dangerous, and all three of those things are very bad outcomes for Americans.”
According to a Digital Citizens survey, approximately one in six Americans has used Ozempic or a similar drug. The primary use of these medications is control diabetes.
A TikTok spokesperson said the investigation has limitations because it found only a handful of problem accounts, and that prescription drug scams can also be found on other social media channels.
Meanwhile, the maker of Ozempic and Wegovy told CBS News that their products have different dosages and should not be used without the care and advice of a medical professional.
Anna Werner
