Weight loss medications such as Ozempic have surged in popularity, driven by soaring demand from people eager to shed pounds. But limited supply has created fertile ground for a growing wave of fraud — and now, scammers are using artificial intelligence to make their schemes more sophisticated and harder to detect.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers along the Gulf Coast about what it describes as an ongoing and rapidly evolving scam. According to BBB representative Evey Owen, fraudsters are relying on increasingly polished tactics, including fake online advertisements, counterfeit pharmacy websites and offers that promise quick access to prescription drugs at steep discounts.
One recent case highlights just how advanced these scams have become. An Alabama resident lost $350 after responding to a deepfake advertisement that appeared to show Oprah Winfrey endorsing a weight loss product. Believing the endorsement was genuine, the victim completed the purchase — only to discover the product never existed.
“AI is creating new problems all the time,” Owen said. “There are ways to spot AI-generated content, but it’s going to keep getting better. The most important thing is to pause and do your research before entering any payment information.”
Legitimate weight loss medications like Ozempic require a doctor’s prescription and typically cost hundreds of dollars per month when purchased through authorized pharmacies. Any advertisement offering these drugs cheaply or without a prescription should immediately raise suspicion, Owen warned.
The BBB has identified several common red flags consumers should watch for, including fake endorsements from doctors or celebrities, unsolicited outreach through texts or emails, professionally designed but fraudulent online pharmacies, and payments that result in no product delivery.
Owen also recommends verifying a seller’s physical address. “Look up the address on Google Earth,” she said. “If it leads to an empty lot or a storage facility, that’s a major red flag.”
Anyone who believes they may have fallen victim to a weight loss drug scam is urged to report it through the BBB Scam Tracker. Reports can be filed via the Better Business Bureau’s website or through links available on FOX10TV.com.
As artificial intelligence continues to advance, experts say these scams will only become more convincing. Consumer advocates stress that vigilance remains the strongest defense — research thoroughly, verify sources and remember that offers that seem too good to be true almost always are.
