GLP-1 scams: what to look out for

PALM DESERT, CALIF. (KESQ) — GLP-1 medications have exploded in popularity as a tool for weight loss and diabetes management. But as more people search for access to these drugs, scammers are finding new ways to take advantage of consumers.

According to KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation), about one in eight adults in the United States is currently using or has used a GLP-1 drug for weight loss or another medical condition.

The Better Business Bureau says it has seen an increase in complaints involving online companies selling GLP-1 medications, with some patients saying they paid hundreds of dollars and never received the product.

According to Gallup News:

• 11% of U.S. adults currently use GLP-1 medications for weight loss.
• 15% have tried a GLP-1 at least once, up from 6% in early 2024.
• 91% know GLP-1 medications can be used for weight loss, up from 80% in 2024.

Michelle Rachell, a nurse practitioner at Healthy Self Weight Loss, says some people are getting GLP-1 medications from people they know, not just online.

“From the gym or somebody they know from a hairdresser. That is also a very concern. And there's a lot of that going on, especially here in the valley,” said Rachell.

“You don't know the purity of it. You don't know the strength of it,” said Rachell.

Those products may come from unregulated sources. “They can get septic and they can have huge wounds that will take months to heal and have scarring for the rest of their life,” said Rachell.

The growing demand is also attracting scammers. Joe Ducey from the Better Business Bureau says the organization is seeing more scams involving GLP-1 medications.

“We see a lot of scams through our Scam Tracker. What we're seeing with GLP-1s is people who are either getting something that isn't really GLP-1,” said Ducey.

Ducey says one person reported receiving fiber instead of a GLP-1 medication. Others thought they were making a one-time purchase, only to find they had been enrolled in recurring monthly charges.