MP warns of social media scams disguised as free health videos

Many pages with free health videos have appeared on social networks, but most often after them scammers try to sell paid courses, said Kaplan Panesh, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Budget and Taxes (LDPR faction). He gave a comment to Lenta.ru.

The deputy noted that most of the recipes on the video are harmless, but after each of them, viewers are offered a closed course, a paid book, or a “unique technique.” He explained the classic scheme of scammers: first they ask for a contact, then they bombard you with advertising and sell expensive courses, often with dubious content.

“Pensioners are especially vulnerable. Be careful: if you are offered to buy something after a free video, this is almost always a trap. The authors of such channels often do not have a medical education. Their goal is not to improve your health, but to make money by selling courses, books and proprietary techniques. First they give free recipes to gain trust. Then they offer to read the full version for money,” Panesh said.

He also warned that under the guise of online health courses, scammers earn billions of rubles annually, and pensioners make up up to 40 percent of their audience. Signs of a trap: a promise of quick miraculous healing, the author’s lack of documented medical education, a demand for payment for a “unique” book or a closed course, an intrusive offer to subscribe or leave a contact, ambiguity and general phrases in the course description, the deputy said.