Ozempic knock-offs are rife with scams

The explosion of new weight-loss medications has opened the door for questionable business practices and outright scams.

Drugs promising to help people lose weight are everywhere, and the fact that society prizes being thin makes vulnerable people susceptible to tricks.

For people struggling with their weight, these drugs can seem like a miracle.

Many people, like Kelly , are turning to other sources, buying copycats from online telehealth companies and sellers that have little oversight.

The FDA hasn't clearly established what's OK here, leaving consumers to figure things out for themselves.

The rush of gray-market semaglutide and scams riffing on the desire for the drugs are a confluence of market need and market want.

The promise of being thin is an incredibly effective marketing tactic, especially with this new class of drugs.

Fraud expert: "Fraudsters are very attuned to cultural moments and what is attractive to consumers" Compounding semaglutide and GLP-1 drugs are generally coming from compounding pharmacies that make customized medications.

Compounding pharmacies are generally exempt from a federal law meant to stop harmful drugs from getting into the US 's supply chain.