Weight Loss

Overview

In a reality where so many Americans are overweight or obese, there’s little wonder why a growing number of people look for practical ways to make a drastic change in their life.
The market is filled with many companies; each offers its own strategy regarding how to get rid of unwanted pounds and reduce the risks of diabetes and heart disease.

From custom diet plans and personalized food recommendations, meal-delivery services, expert books and in-person group meetings to meal-replacement products and dietary supplements, each method offers its unique approach for reaching the customer’s long-term goals.

Good diet programs can help adults, teens, and children change their existing lifestyles, identify and break bad eating habits, prevent health problems and adopt sound nutritional choices, so they can look and feel much better.

Program components may come in meal plans and menu options, low-calorie recipes, specialty prepackaged foods, physical activity and exercise plans, virtual trainers, one-on-one coaching (either in-person or online), community support, smartphone apps, and other tools that help people get the job done.

Consumer Tips: How to Avoid Diet Scams Online

Just like any other sector that involves consumers, businesses, and money that switches hands, the weight loss market also has its fair share of scammers, fraudsters and cybercriminals that operate online and look for potential victims.

Many dieters search the internet for revolutionary short-term solutions and will invest a lot of time and money to find the Holy Grail: a product or a system that will help them lose weight quickly and painlessly.

Scammers understand the enormous potential for quick profits and use many illegal or unethical methods to convince consumers to buy their useless product.
They swamp the market with a variety of fraudulent offers for products that don’t work and sometimes, may even be dangerous for use.

Con artists use a complete arsenal of extremely effective techniques: professionally-designed websites, persuasive marketing hype, stock “before and after” photos, false promises, dubious research results and pseudoscientific claims and fake news articles, phony user testimonials and “free trial” offers that are not free at all and often have hidden recurring fees.

Online diet scams come in many forms and the people who buy these products on the internet, usually lose money, not weight.
From supposed wonder supplements, magic formulas and promising herbal teas to “secret” fat-burning pills, creams, cleansers, powders, patches or other “miracle” merchandise that delivers no substantial results.

Usually, none are backed by science, verifiable research or clinical tests and as such will not relieve hunger, boost metabolism, burn calories, reduce food cravings, melt fat while sleeping or lighten anything but the consumer’s wallet.

Taking these steps will help you find credible and reliable commercial weight loss programs and product providers:

Have Realistic Expectations

In the real world, quick and easy diet fixes do not exist, and immediate results are impossible.
Any product, service or program that promises to trim inches and cut pounds, without reduced caloric intake, increased physical exercise or significant lifestyle changes is a scam and a complete waste of money.

It’s important to remain cautious and skeptical and avoid any miracle-style product that carries unrealistic promises or too-good-to-be-true claims.

Investigate the Diet Company’s BBB Record

Check the company’s record on the Better Business Bureau’s website.
What you’ll find there, will help you evaluate whether it’s a legitimate business that deserves your money and trust or if you must look elsewhere.

Look for current BBB rating, customer reviews, complaints, warnings and alerts on their business profile.
Also, learn how long it has been in business – a potential indicator of experience and reputation.

If the company is not even listed with the BBB, this is a very bad sign.
On the other hand, if the weight loss program is certified as a BBB Accredited Business, it’s an important positive signal.

Pay Close Attention to Red Flags

Learn how to protect yourself better when ordering goods and services on the internet, to avoid scammers and keep safe in general.
Knowing how to check if a website is legitimate or not is the first line of defense.