Think twice about that health trend ad

Weeks into the new year, many are looking to refine their weight-loss journeys. Resolutions and goals for 2026 have left us ready to peel off the pounds, improve our mental and physical health, and achieve greater overall wellness. Fortunately for us, there is “help” everywhere we turn. Unfortunately for us, many of these purportedly “helpful” programs are scams.

In the wellness world, scams prevail due to high consumer demand to get fit quick. Every company pushes different ideas on diet, workouts and supplements. The secrets and shortcuts they promise are often as elusive as the company themselves. Now the already tricky world of fitness influencing has become that much more deceiving due to AI. Artificial intelligence has helped companies pump out marketing materials that appeal to their target audiences. They may use deep fakes of popular celebrities such as Oprah or Kelly Clarkson. And when fans trust those celebrities, they trust the products they get behind.

One victim recently reported their experience to the BBB ScamTracker: “I purchased gummies that were supposed to help with weight loss. Kelly Clarkson celebrity-endorsed the product and I trusted her; however, they used her AI likeness to scam people. I contacted the company to cancel my account and any transactions. They keep charging my account.”

Such scams range from complete fraud to partial fraud. Some consumers may never receive the products they buy. Others get them, but they don’t work, despite how they’re marketed. The marketing tactics have become sophisticated with little regard for the truth, from fake AI scenes of the company’s owner on reputable shows such as Dragon’s Den to paying popular online influencers to back their products, despite never having used them.

That’s why it’s so important to stay vigilant in your wellness journey. Always be wary of products offering immediate and drastic results, especially those that seem to take some kind of short cut to weight loss. Losing a lot of weight without changing your diet or exercise patterns is not realistic.

If you do come across a product or service you’d like to try, take the time to independently research it on BBB.org and don’t be afraid to ask your doctor. In this era of online shopping, you can order products from anywhere which may not meet Health Canada’s guidelines or standards. Those are put in place to protect your health long-term, so it’s always worth looking up the product’s ingredients. If there is no ingredient list, it may not be worth the risk.

If you do your preliminary research and would like to proceed with a purchase, be sure to read the small print and use a credit card to pay. Some people have reported making what they believed to be a one-time purchase, only to find out the terms and conditions explained they’d be charged monthly.

At the end of the day, losing weight is a journey that starts and ends with you. You’ll go far if you work at it, and no miracle program will get you there overnight. Take your time in finding a legitimate and honest program that works for you, meeting your unique needs and goals.