Health scams are products or treatments claiming to prevent, treat, or cure certain health conditions but aren’t proven safe or effective for those uses. Health scams not only hurt your wallet but also can lead to serious, even deadly, injury from faux products or treatments. They can delay you from getting appropriate medical diagnosis or care from a licensed clinician.
Scammers often prey on people who want quick fixes, have difficulty getting conventional medical treatment, or are from vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults, limited English skills). They may lure victims through email, fake websites, text/messaging apps, phone calls, or even by mail.
Scammers may target people looking for remedies for sexual performance/libido, memory loss, aging, substance use (e.g., opioids, nicotine), arthritis/chronic pain, cancer, or diabetes, to name a few. For example, scams around weight loss drugs like Ozempic have surged this year due to high demand and high cost from legitimate vendors. Even if you aren’t part of a “high-risk” target group, *everyone* is at risk for falling victim to health fraud
🚨 Some warning signs of possible scams include:
➡️ Promising their one product will be a cure-all for multiple different diseases/health problems or for complex conditions (e.g., cancer): Currently, there are no medically-approved products that universally cure any disease or multiple unrelated diseases at once. Complex conditions like cancer usually require multiple different kinds of treatment (i.e., surgery, medication, radiation). Be wary of ads that use words like “miracle cure” or “ancient remedy.” Real medically-approved and trusted cures are usually widely reported in the media and prescribed by licensed healthcare providers.
➡️ Claiming to be “all natural”: “Natural” doesn’t always equal “safe” or “effective”, as certain naturally-derived products can cause serious health issues alone or through interactions with prescription medications. For example, St. John’s wort, a popular herbal supplement for depression, decreases the effectiveness of many prescription medications, and can even lead to dangerous medical crises with certain antidepressants. Scammers may also include hidden and/or dangerous pharmaceutical ingredients inside their products.
➡️ False sense of urgency (e.g., deep discounts that expire soon)
➡️ Fake “success” testimonials from patients or false endorsements from clinicians/companies: Scammers can use chatbots to easily generate fake 5-star reviews or professional-sounding recommendations. Be wary if there are many reviews posted within a short period of time, or if you can’t verify the “professional’s” or “business’s” identity online (e.g., confirming their licensure on a state medical board’s website). Some scammers may copy legitimate addresses/contact info but have phony email handles, web URLs, or social media profiles (e.g., amaz0n with a zero instead of an “o”).
➡️ Relying on conspiracy theories (e.g., “This is the cure our government or Big Pharma doesn’t want you to know about”)
➡️ Promising extremely rapid results (e.g., minutes, 30 days)
➡️ Using scientific-sounding jargon (e.g., “molecule multiplicity”), prestigious science award names (e.g., Nobel prize), or non-English languages in their advertising
➡️ Suspicious payment methods: Scammers may request payment on platforms similar to cash (e.g., Zelle, gift cards) or that are untraceable (i.e., cryptocurrency). They may initially offer a credit card option but then display an error message, forcing you to use a sketchier payment system after having given away your credit card information.
📣 Health Insurance Scams are Health Scams Too!
According to the Federal Communications Commission, insurance scams were the most commonly reported robocall complaint in 2024 and often surge around open enrollment periods, typically around Thanksgiving and into the New Year. Medicare scams targeting older adults are especially common, where scammers use a variety of tactics to steal an individual’s Medicare or Social Security number. Fraudsters may promise free items/services, pressure beneficiaries into “switching” insurance plans, or threaten victims with coverage cancellation unless they provide personal information.
Unfortunately, as AI tools become more accessible, scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in how they trick consumers into buying their health scams. Some have even used AI-generated deepfake images of famous celebrities and physicians endorsing their bogus products.
🛡️ It may feel like a scary time trying to find something legit that works for your health needs. Although no one is immune to fraud, you can still protect yourself and others from health scams with some of these tips:
✅ Keep an eye out for ads or messages with any of the warning signs from above.
✅ NEVER give personal or financial information out without verifying the requester: If you’re not sure if the message is legitimate (e.g., notice to renew/upgrade your health insurance plan), look up the company’s contact information on a separate webpage and contact them directly to confirm whether they truly reached out to you, *before* clicking on emails or links.
✅ Don’t answer calls or open emails from contacts you don’t recognize.
✅ Don’t click on suspicious website links/URLs.
✅ Always check with your healthcare provider to make sure a product is right for you.
If you or someone you know has seen any health scams or has fallen victim to one, you can report any suspicious activity to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (link also posted below). While being scammed is never a pleasant experience, reporting will allow federal agents to hopefully stop others from falling victim to the same scheme.
Stay safe, stay well.
Those Nerdy Girls
Additional Resources:
U.S. Federal Trade Commission: ReportFraud.ftc.gov
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Health Fraud Scams
National Institute of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
