Thai consumers are being urged to exercise heightened caution when purchasing weight-loss solutions online, following revelations from Australia about a new wave of “ghost stores” scamming buyers with fake GLP-1 products and predatory advertising—a scam that could easily spread to Thailand’s thriving digital marketplaces. These ghost stores, uncovered by investigative journalists at The Guardian, have been found impersonating real businesses and health experts to sell supposedly plant-based oral supplements that mimic the effects of popular diabetes and weight-loss medications such as Ozempic and Mounjaro, posing direct risks to consumer financial safety and, more alarmingly, their health (theguardian.com).
This emerging scam, which goes beyond traditional online financial fraud to threaten public health, is critical for Thais to understand at a time when global appetite for new weight-loss drugs is booming, and imitation products proliferate across Southeast Asian digital commerce platforms. For Thailand—where rising obesity rates and demand for quick, affordable weight-loss solutions have catalyzed a market for both legitimate and dubious slimming aids—recognising the telltale signs of such scams is crucial.
According to the report, Australian regulators and consumer advocates found that more than 140 websites previously posing as fashion retailers had pivoted to targeting people seeking weight loss aids. These ghost stores blatantly used fake identities, AI-generated testimonials, and even misappropriated the images of high-profile professionals and unrelated individuals worldwide. In one example, a purported Facebook page for “Emma Davis,” allegedly a New South Wales-based diabetes care team, advertised a “GLP-1 plant-based oral solution” using testimonials signed by made-up personas. Analysis revealed that profile images were stolen from real individuals, including international journalists and media personalities, without their consent or knowledge.
The scam mimics the widespread popularity of real GLP-1 receptor agonists. GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide 1) is a hormone that regulates appetite and blood sugar. Medicines based on this mechanism—most notably Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide)—are clinically proven to assist with weight loss in individuals with obesity or metabolic disorders (PubMed). The growing global demand for these medications, however, has coincided with supply shortages and inflated prices, opening the door for opportunistic vendors to peddle knock-offs and unauthorized supplements, which often lack efficacy and can be dangerous (Reuters).
One of the most insidious aspects of the scam is its sophisticated use of fake customer reviews, doctored before-and-after images (often AI-generated), and endorsement claims by professionals who have nothing to do with the products. For instance, a prominent dietitian was shocked to discover her image and professional reputation being exploited to promote a formula she would “obviously not endorse.” Despite taking legal action, the international and anonymous nature of these ghost stores makes recourse difficult. “It feels like international waters … there’s no jurisdiction. Whose job is it to control and manage this?” she told The Guardian. Legal experts interviewed in the report echoed this dilemma, calling for digital platforms—including giants like Meta (Facebook) and Shopify—to be held liable for the proliferation of these scams on their domains.
Official advocates, such as directors from Australia’s Consumer Action Law Centre and the Consumer Policy Research Centre, criticized platforms and banks for enabling fake ads and facilitating payments to scam accounts. Financial transaction administrators like PayPal, while publicizing “zero tolerance” policies, rely on complaint-driven refunds and struggle to proactively block international fraudsters from accessing the global marketplace.
The ghost stores uncovered by reporters—such as the site Maementcurves.com—claimed to be locally owned and operated, selling products said to be manufactured in Australia. Yet, investigations traced their payment processing to Hong Kong-based companies, and their internet trail led to dissolved or unidentifiable international corporate entities. Products advertised as “STDEI GLP-1 Weight Loss Oral Liquid” were found also for sale on major e-commerce sites like AliExpress and eBay, demonstrating the scam’s wide reach and adaptability.
The emergence of these sophisticated scams has particular ramifications for Thai consumers, given the local context:
- Thailand’s booming online shopping culture and social media engagement, where beauty and weight loss remain dominant themes, create fertile ground for unscrupulous digital marketers (Bangkok Post).
- Thai consumers have faced similar waves of fake health products, from slimming teas laced with sibutramine to whitening creams containing mercury (Thai FDA).
- Regulatory capacity is often challenged by international digital sellers, ambiguous jurisdictions, and rapidly evolving scam tactics.
Historical patterns in Thailand show the strong social pressure to achieve thinness—exacerbated by celebrity endorsements and KOL (Key Opinion Leader) culture—fuels demand for products promising fast results. The use of fake testimonials and identity theft significantly amplifies trust, making consumers more vulnerable. According to Thai regulatory authorities, digital literacy among some segments of the population remains low, particularly regarding the ability to verify the legitimacy of online stores and product claims (Digital Economy Promotion Agency).
Notably, the dangers posed by unauthorized GLP-1 mimics are severe: without proper dosage control or medical supervision, consumers risk experiencing dangerous side effects, toxic adulterants, or interactions with other medications. While certified GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic are strictly controlled in Thailand, unauthorized supplements and “herbal” alternatives face less oversight (Thai FDA warnings). Unregulated or counterfeit products might fail to exert any therapeutic benefit or, worse, result in acute health complications ranging from severe hypoglycemia to organ toxicity.
Experts and regulators interviewed by The Guardian call for a “systemic approach” to tackling these scams. Solutions proposed include:
- Legally mandating greater accountability and monitoring responsibilities on digital advertising platforms, with severe penalties for repeated infractions.
- Improved intergovernmental cooperation to trace international scam networks and disrupt the financial flows that enable them.
- Enhanced consumer education regarding scam recognition, digital literacy, and safe purchasing practices.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) recently put major platforms on notice, writing to companies like Meta and Shopify to address the proliferation of ghost stores. While these companies have acknowledged receipt of such warnings, neither provided public comment or outlined concrete actions in response.
For Thai consumers, the lessons are clear and urgent. Before purchasing any weight-loss or health supplement online, especially those claiming to mimic pharmaceutical medications like Ozempic, it is essential to:
- Verify the seller’s credentials: Prefer stores with verifiable business registration, clear contact details, and a history of positive reviews from authentic users.
- Consult with licensed healthcare professionals: Never self-medicate with “miracle” products whose legitimacy cannot be confirmed by medical authorities.
- Be wary of endorsements: If a well-known doctor, nutritionist, or celebrity is shown as endorsing a product, independently check their official media or personal websites for evidence of involvement.
- Recognize red flags: Excessive claims of “miraculous” results, poorly written or AI-generated content, and limited transparency about manufacturing origin are all signs of potential fraud.
- Use safe payment methods: Choose secure platforms that offer buyer protection—though even these cannot always prevent delays or losses if dealing with foreign scammers.
Public awareness campaigns, robust reporting mechanisms, and support for scam victims should all be priorities for Thai authorities moving forward. Without these, the surge in international fraudsters capitalizing on social media advertising and online retail platforms will only intensify, especially amid shortages and rising demand for trusted medical weight-loss solutions.
Thai culture’s high value on social appearance has unfortunately fueled the rise of exploitative trends in the health and beauty sector. From notorious slimming coffees of the early 2000s to more recent revelations about unregistered supplements, Thailand’s experience highlights the cyclical nature of such scams and the need for enduring vigilance, adaptivity, and cross-sector cooperation.
Looking ahead, the intersection of AI-powered marketing, internationalized digital commerce, and persistent consumer demand will likely generate even more creative—and difficult to trace—scam campaigns. The challenge for Thai regulators and consumers alike will be building the digital and regulatory resilience needed to stem the tide of these sophisticated global health frauds.
For now, the best protection is skepticism, investigation, and professional consultation. The promise of quick weight loss at the click of a mouse is more dangerous than ever—and Thai consumers should place their trust only in products, practitioners, and pharmacies they are certain to be genuine.
Sources:
- Guardian News: Online shoppers warned of ‘dangerous’ weight-loss scam as ‘ghost stores’ impersonate real people to sell Ozempic-like treatments
- PubMed: Efficacy and Safety of GLP-1 Drugs
- Bangkok Post: Beauty category aids Thailand e-commerce growth
- Thai FDA Consumer Warnings
- Digital Economy Promotion Agency: Digital Literacy
- Reuters: Fake Ozempic warnings
- ORYOR News Update