What rights do I have if I was scammed by a fake health product or treatment?
Health product scam victims have consumer rights including chargeback and Section 75, and can report to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA in the UK) or FDA (US) — misrepresentation of health products is both a consumer fraud and a regulatory offence.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Health scams range from fake supplements promising miracle weight loss to unproven cancer cures and fraudulent clinical trial recruitment. They are particularly harmful because victims may delay genuinely effective treatment, and because they target people who are already vulnerable or unwell.
For financial recovery, the standard payment recourse options apply: chargeback for card payments, Section 75 for UK credit card purchases over £100, and APP fraud reimbursement for bank transfers. Misrepresenting the nature, effectiveness, or ingredients of a product is a clear breach of consumer protection law and the Consumer Rights Act.
Beyond financial recovery, health scams should be reported to the MHRA (UK) for unlicensed medicines or medical devices, the ASA for misleading health advertising, and Trading Standards for general consumer protection issues. These regulators have powers to remove products from the market and prosecute manufacturers.
This is general information only. If you experienced any adverse health effects from a fraudulent product, consult a medical professional first and a personal injury solicitor about any compensation claim.
Common red flags
- Product claimed to cure or treat a disease without any evidence or medical approval
- Testimonials were the only evidence of effectiveness
- The seller recommended stopping conventional medical treatment
- Product was not licensed by any recognised health authority
- Ingredients or concentrations were not clearly disclosed
What to do now
- Stop using the product and consult a doctor if you have any health concerns
- Contact your card issuer or bank to dispute the payment
- Report to the MHRA (UK), FDA (US), or your national medicines regulator
- Report to Trading Standards and the ASA (UK) for consumer protection action
- Report to Action Fraud if substantial sums were involved
- Preserve the product, packaging, and all communications as evidence
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue a health supplement company for a product that did not work?
Simply failing to deliver expected results is not necessarily fraud if the claims were sufficiently hedged. However, if the product was fundamentally misrepresented (e.g., claimed to be a licensed medicine when it was not, or contained no active ingredient), you may have a claim for misrepresentation. A consumer law solicitor can assess the specific facts.
What if I bought a health product from an overseas website?
Card payment recovery options still apply regardless of where the seller is based. Regulatory reporting to the MHRA (UK) is relevant if the product was imported into or sold within the UK. Criminal enforcement against overseas operators is more difficult but the MHRA does work with international counterparts.