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Happy new year! 2025 is now upon us, and with it comes the promise of new beginnings and clean slates. However, with the jubilations comes a wave of scams aimed at targeting people who want to turn over a new leaf.
Selling fake weight loss pills and machines
You will notice a recurring theme as it covers each of these tips: they all target classic New Year’s resolutions and people who want to change their lives. The first few months of a new year are busy with people trying to get back on track, which makes them ideal for scammers to target.
Many people use the New Year as an opportunity to shed a few pounds, so scammers introduce a wide range of health products during the first few months. These range from weight loss pills to machines that promise to help you lose weight without exercise.
As reported by the UK Citizens Advice Bureau: :
Complaints made to Citizens Advice include a slimmer who was told he would lose three and a half inches from his waist through sessions with a slimming machine. They had lost nothing from the first six sessions, and were very doubtful that the remaining nine sessions would make a difference.
Another complained about being let down by his liposuction providers, as the trader disappeared after just three sessions. Consumers also highlighted the problems with free or small trials for diet pills when, in fact, companies go on to take up to £100 from their bank account without their permission.
As such, be extra skeptical about weight loss products on the new year; they can be a scam.
Selling fraudulent gym memberships
Another common New Year’s resolution is to go to the gym more. Legitimate gyms often sell discounts on their plans to capitalize on increased interest, and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, some scammers take advantage of the rush by offering fake gym memberships.
These usually advertise a “too good to be true” that encourages people to sign up for a plan. Once people hand over their money, the scammers run with it and are never heard from again. As such, if you want a good deal on a gym membership, don’t rely on random internet ads; contact establishments you trust and see if they have any New Year’s offers available.
Take advantage of dating sites
The turn of the year encourages singles to see if they can find “the one” in the coming months. As such, dating sites usually see a spike in traffic after the dance. In fact, as reported by the New York PostTinder claims that the period between the first Sunday of the New Year and Valentine’s Day sees more activity than usual.
Unfortunately, this is also the perfect time for scammers to trick people into handing over a lot of money in relationship scams. If you are looking for the ideal in 2025, check out our guides how to spot and avoid an online dating scammer and how cybercriminals use AI to run romance scams.
Offer fake vacations
Finally, if your New Year’s resolution involves traveling the world and seeing new cultures, you’ll want to be ten steps ahead of the scammers. Some people can spot a lost tourist from a mile away, and will trick them into handing over money or steal their items. If you want to know more about it, our sister site, TheTravel, explained some of the the best tourist scams you can find abroad.
However, there are many scams waiting even before you board a plane. Some travel sites advertise fake trips and hotel bookings that steal people’s money, and the rise of generative AI means cybercriminals can create realistic pictures to trick people into believing it’s real. As such, make sure keep an eye out for AI travel scams and only book through legitimate channels.
With 2025 in full swing, scammers are looking for ways to trick you out of your hard earned money. Maybe make a New Year’s resolution to never fall for their traps.
