Avoid being a victim of a health scam

Health scams have been around for centuries. From witch doctors to snake oil salesmen to more recent scams of doctors claiming to have a medical degree and selling fraudulent services, the last thing anyone deserves is to be a victim of such a malicious sort of deceit.

Unfortunately, part of what keeps health scams alive and well is the fact many individuals are always in search of that magic pill to make aches and pains go away or to cure their cancer. When we have this mindset, it puts anyone of us in a vulnerable position of being “taken for a ride” of a health scam. Usually, these scams tend to target older adults who are the most likely age group to have a multitude of serious health problems with no known cure. The selling of “hope” is a very lucrative business. And when we put our hope and trust in these deceptive frauds, instead of curing a disease, it is almost always our pocketbook that feels the effect the most.

Fraudulent and unproven health products and services will always be a problem and because of this, all of us can fall victim to their deceptive promises. To avoid being just one more victim and to protect yourself from false expectations, possible harm to your health and a drain on your bank account, here are tips on easy ways to spot health scams:

· Be wary of how a product is described

There are certain marketing terms or claims that can be an automatic tip-off of a health scam – ‘quick fix,’ ‘miracle,’ ‘secret,’ ‘cure,’ and ‘breakthrough,’ or anything that promises to relieve your medical problems. Other clues could be a statement proclaiming, “Take this pill and reverse memory loss.” Other signs include the terms ‘no-risk,’ ‘money-back guarantee,’ ‘free gift included,’ or ‘limited supply.’

· Meaningless medical jargon

Scientific terms and explanations may sound impressive and may have an element of truth to them. But most people have a hard time separating fact from fiction, and that’s why companies promoting fraudulent products or services use a lot of scientific terms.

· Personal testimonials

This is another tried and true marketing tool. If a product or service relies almost entirely on personal testimonies, be suspicious. Personal testimonies can tip you off to fraud because they are difficult to prove and can often be fabricated.

· Dietary supplements

One of the largest categories of potential scams consists of dietary supplements. These supplements are usually not the vitamins and minerals you see sold in a pharmacy but more so the formulations promising to relieve just about any health problem such as poor memory, aches and pains, colds and flu, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, weight gain, and sexual dysfunction. They may be sold as pills or liquids and may contain vitamins, minerals, herbs, or “botanicals.”

· Fraudulent gadgets

It’s amazing the amount of gizmos and gadgets aimed at health that are out there. From belts promising to melt off fat, copper bracelets for arthritis, or light therapy devices without FDA approval sold to treat skin conditions, if someone can think of some way to sell and market a health device, they will find a way. If there are no scientific studies or approval of these gadgets or it seems too good to be true to actually work, then they probably don’t and you need to simply walk away from them.

Bottom line, like the old saying goes, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

Arm and protect yourself on how not to be a victim of health scams

· One way is to start with your doctor – ask their opinion on a product or claim or ask them if they know of any research about a treatment.

· Go online to Quackwatch.com. This website is dedicated to helping consumers make sound decisions and avoid fraud, scams, and quacks.

· Check with the Better Business Bureau to see whether there have been complaints about the product or product’s marketer.

· For information on supplements, visit the Office of Dietary Supplements at www.ods.od.nih.gov.

· Do your own research on potential treatments by visiting www.clinicaltrials.gov or www.pubmed.gov to see if there are any current or completed studies on a treatment.

· For more information on health scams, visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at www.fda.gov/ForConsumers/ProtectYourself