A Wisconsin woman says a fake celebrity endorsement on Instagram convinced her to buy a weight-loss product after a video appeared to show Oprah Winfrey promoting a “magic cure.”
Chrissy Magnin, of Green Bay, told WBAY that the video appeared to feature Oprah and a doctor from Yale. She said the video first looked like a natural weight-loss remedy involving baking soda and ginger before it shifted into a product pitch.
Magnin said she is normally careful about buying online, but the familiar celebrity image kept her watching. “I only ordered it because I thought, well, if it’s Oprah’s endorsing it,” she told the station.
The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about increasing complaints tied to videos selling weight-loss and health products.
The Video Turned A Remedy Story Into A Product Sale
Magnin told WBAY the Instagram video showed Oprah saying, “Ladies, I have a magic cure.” She said the video ran long enough to hold her attention, moving from the baking soda and ginger remedy into a sales offer.
She paid $207 and expected to receive a product called Lean Peak. Instead, she said three bottles of a product called Jelly Fit arrived.
When Magnin tried to call a customer service number, she said she could not reach anyone. “Well, Jelly Fit? It’s supposed to be Lean Peak,” she told WBAY.
She Canceled Her Card Before The Package Arrived
Magnin said she became skeptical before the shipment showed up. She believed the purchase may have been a bait-and-switch, called her credit card company, and canceled her card.
Afterward, she filed a complaint with BBB Scam Tracker. In the complaint quoted by WBAY, Magnin described the experience as misleading and upsetting and said she would never trust ordering online again.
Lisa Schiller with the Wisconsin BBB told WBAY there is “a lot of deceptive marketing going on.” Schiller urged consumers to scrutinize videos and product information before buying, especially when an ad appears to rely on a celebrity or medical figure.
Oprah’s Website Has Its Own Scam Warning
Oprah’s official website has a scam section addressing product claims that use her name or likeness. WBAY reported that the page does not specifically mention the product Magnin ordered, but it says Oprah does not endorse the products listed there and that attorneys are pursuing companies claiming an affiliation.
The BBB also warns that scammers are using deepfake videos and AI-generated images of celebrities, doctors, and other trusted figures to promote weight-loss and health products.
The fake endorsement can make an ordinary product pitch look like a personal recommendation. In Magnin’s case, the ad appeared to borrow trust from Oprah and a Yale doctor, then sent her to a purchase that ended with bottles carrying a different product name.
Search The Celebrity And Product Before Buying
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers to be skeptical of weight-loss products that promise dramatic results without diet or exercise. The agency says many ads use stock or altered images and that some products promoted online may be fraudulent or contain undeclared ingredients.
The FTC recommends searching the celebrity’s name, the company or product name, and words such as “scam” or “fake” before buying. The agency also says even a natural supplement can carry risk depending on a person’s health and medications.
Magnin said she has warned friends, coworkers, and her doctor about what happened. Her advice was simple: check everything before clicking, and be careful when an online offer looks too good to be true.