Whether you think he’s great or think he’s not, Dr Oz is certainly a popular figure in American homes. He has millions of viewers watching his daytime talk show, and those viewers trust his opinions. Even though he has repeatedly stated that his show is meant for entertainment purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical recommendations, he talks up products, ingredients and techniques all the time, and fans take this news seriously. And unfortunately, so do scammers.
Why Scammers Use the Dr Oz Brand
It is an unfortunate truth that diet pill scams are far from rare, and despite efforts made by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC), they remain common. This means that dieters who are interested in trying these products to help them to be able to lose weight more quickly and easily than with diet and exercise alone need to be especially vigilant to not only choose a product that makes the right claims, but also one that will actually live up to those promises.
As a part of that effort to find the real thing, many people will turn to celebrities that they respect. The reason is that they feel that a product that is endorsed by a trustworthy name will give them a better chance of finding the right diet pill while avoiding scams. Unfortunately, scammers are aware of this consumer attitude and will therefore often take advantage of the trust that people feel toward some large names.
Among the biggest victims of having his name falsely associated with product endorsement and claims is Dr. Oz. His television show has helped him to spread his reputation as a very respectable and trustworthy person regarding claims that are made about specific products or the ingredients that they contain.
This powerful reputation has caused many scammers to claim on their marketing materials and websites that Dr. Oz will have referred to their supplement or ingredient as being “revolutionary” when he either said nothing about the substance, or he may merely have discussed it without making any claims at all regarding its effectiveness.
Celebrity Endorsements Aren’t Always What They Seem
There have been countless claims that Dr. Oz has put his name behind weight loss products such as those containing acai berry and other fad ingredients. Unfortunately, there was no more truth to those claims than there were to those relating to the ability of the ingredient to promote fat reduction.
For this reason, while this does not change the level of trustworthiness of actual claims that are made by Dr. Oz, it is important for consumers to look into a great deal more than a celebrity endorsement – or what appears to be one – when considering a product to help them to shed the extra pounds.
What About Products Dr Oz Recommends on His Show?
Even amidst all the scams that talk about Dr Oz in the hopes of drawing people to buy their products, it should be noted that the celebrity daytime television host has indeed made certain recommendations of ingredients and products on the show. That said, he has faced serious scrutiny for this practice, as the recommendations he has made have often been entirely unproven and occasionally misleading.
In 2015, Congress spoke out against the “miracle diet” claims Dr Oz had made on his show, and this was several months after he had to face a Senate Committee for the scammy claims he’d been making about various unproven products and ingredients. The celeb’s primary defense of his actions was that he is making entertainment, so he uses entertaining terminology such as “magic” or “miracle” when he talks, even if that is far from the reality of what a product can provide.
Talk to Your Actual Doctor
When deciding on a product, the first step that you take shouldn’t be to consult a doctor that you view on a television screen or that you read about in a marketing claim. Remember, Dr. Oz doesn’t know you or what is best for you. He is making entertainment and will make outlandish claims in order to keep things entertaining.
Instead, when you need advice based on reality, talk to your own physician. They will be able to tell you if the claims about the product have the chance to be accurate, as well as whether or not it will be safe for you to use these pills based on your unique health needs. Moreover, if the product or technique you’d been considering isn’t right for you, you’ll be able to learn about alternatives far better suited to you.
