Paula Bennett: The fake weight loss scam using my name - they even said my husband left me because I was so fat

Paula Bennett has been caught up in a weight-loss scam using her image.

OPINION

You will not lose 35kg in 4 weeks by taking a Gummy Bear. I know it is getting harder and harder to know what to believe on social media but scammers are everywhere and it’s the old adage that if it seems to be too good to be true then it is.

I’m angry, sick to death of my image, name and even my signature being used to scam people into buying weight loss products. One seriously says: “Try eating just one gummy before bed! In 4 weeks, you’ll release 35kg of fat and get a beautifully toned stomach.”

There is so much wrong with that. No one can lose 35kg in four weeks unless you are very very unwell and they should not use my image, as I have never had a beautifully toned stomach. They also now use a fake signature and use the Herald and Ministry of Health logos.

They have written full editorials pretending to be me, where they say my husband left me because I was so fat and after finding this miracle weight loss drug he asked to come back. Another one goes into a lot of detail about me being the CEO of the company and other weight loss organisations suing me because my product is so successful.

I have had abusive emails from people who have been sucked in and people phoning me really upset as they have paid out over $500 for a fake product. I have had inquiries from people asking when their product will turn up – and then alarmingly someone telling me not to worry because it has shown up. DON’T TAKE IT.

One guy rang me the other day. Explaining that he had bought the product, made two payments totalling over $500 and did I know when the product would turn up? After me explaining that it was a scam, suggesting he contact his bank and apologising that this had happened, he said all he could hope was that the stress of losing money might mean he would lose some weight. If you can’t laugh, you cry.

Paula Bennett is asking those who see this scam to report it.

I am in good company as they have also used Samantha Hayes, Toni Street, Antonia Prebble and Scotty Stevenson. They used amateur photoshopping and made Toni look extra fat - and then a slimmed-down photo in just three weeks.

They didn’t have to Photoshop my fat photos, they just used shots from a few years ago before I had weight loss surgery and didn’t mention that in any of their fake ads.

All of us have reported the scam and complained multiple times. We have had lawyers involved and spoken directly with the social media outlets. The problem is, as soon as they take one down they just tweak it slightly and put another one up.

I am not sure what else I can do. Please report these ads if you see them, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you have doubts, go to your bank if you have been scammed and remember what they say: if it seems too good to be true then it probably is.

Hear more from Paula on her podcast with NZ Herald - Ask Me Anything!