BBB warns consumers about Ozempic scams

B.C.’s Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers about a new scam that the organization says is taking advantage of the popularity of a drug among those seeking to lose weight.

Ozempic is a prescription-only drug for people with Type 2 diabetes, but is used by some people to shed pounds — a fad made popular by celebrities and influencers. The province has faced a critical shortage of the drug over the past several months, with some patients saying they have had to shop around to multiple pharmacies to find one that has the drug in stock.

The BBB says scammers have been quick to take advantage of this demand, targeting those who are looking for a convenient way to buy it online. In many cases, consumers find a website that claims to be selling the drug at a bargain price. The purchasers are required to use digital wallet apps like Zelle or CashApp to pay for their product.

Many of these websites don’t even ask for a prescription, the BBB says, but some go to extreme lengths to appear legit. The bureau received a report of a consumer actually having a tele-consult with someone claiming to be a doctor before then paying to purchase the drug online.

“I have not received the drug,” the victim of the scam told the BBB. “When I reach out to customer service, they send automated responses. They refuse to refund my money, even though they claim not to know when or if the drug will be shipped.”

In other cases, the scammers claim to have issues shipping the drug, and they ask the purchaser to pay additional fees. One way this has been done was by telling the consumer to pay for insurance or customs fees. When the purchaser refuses, the BBB says some scammers have then resorted to threats. One example is they may claim to report the transaction to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, telling the consumer they will get in trouble for purchasing illegal drugs without a prescription.

“In reality, scammers never planned on sending you anything at all,” the Better Business Bureau says. “Any problems encountered when ‘shipping’ the medication is only a trick to get even more money from you. If you give in and use a digital payment app to send funds, your money is gone for good.”

The BBB has some recommendations to avoid falling victim to this scam when shopping for Ozempic or any other pharmaceuticals. First, don’t buy medicines from foreign countries. Also, watch for prices that are too good to be true. As well, avoid using digital wallet apps to pay for medicines and try to only purchase from reputable pharmacies.

Finally, the bureau warns customers not to buy prescription-only medications from sellers who don’t ask for a prescription.

With files from Sonia Aslam