Obesity is a known topic of conversation in the United States, with one in three U.S. adults being categorized as overweight. Most of us have come across posts claiming to promote a new weight loss "miracle" in our online experiences. Healthcare experts are constantly reporting that there is "no such thing" as a miracle diet, but, much like a fabled lake monster, or a giant hairy beast in the woods, legends die hard. Scammers are always trying to find new ways to lure in vulnerable dieters who still want to believe that an easy solution exists. They use social media as a vehicle to peddle products that don't work, and use hacks to hijack people's social profiles, so that the advertisements look like they are coming from a trusted friend. Often unsuspecting people end up paying hundreds of dollars for ineffective products because it looks like a friend recommended them.
Symantec's Security Response expert, Satnam Narang, explains how the Pinterest scams work, and how to protect yourself in this video:
'Pin'-pointing The Problem
Most recently, we've seen the social pin-board service, Pinterest, used as a vehicle for various miracle diet scams, including acai berry and Garcinia Cambogia Extract, the latter claiming to be a 'miracle' solution touted by Dr. Oz on his television show. Before buying into any weight loss product, it's important to talk to your doctor first, and to do your "homework" to figure out whether the product has been studied and approved by the FDA.
The 'Miracle' Solution for a Secure Social Account
Our Symantec Security Response team recommends the following tips for Pinterest, Tumblr, and Twitter users:
- Make sure your password on all these services are strong and unique
- Tumblr users should enable two-factor authentication
- Twitter users should revoke and reauthorize access to the Pinterest application
Learn more about this scam on our Symantec Security Response Blog.