The linked tumblr post explains in detail a dangerous scam going around twitter’s trans community.
A product called “I can’t believe it’s not estrogen” is being advertised as a natural replacement for estrogen. It is packaged in a trendy, eye-catching way and it is sold as an OTC supplement for people who can’t get access to actual HRT.
In reality, it is at best a scam that will never ship and it aims at collecting trans women’s personal details in order to harass them later on. At worst, it is a scam that directly aims at physically harming trans women. The substance contained in the advertised pills is ashwagandha, which boosts the production of the hormones your body produces on its own (i.e it would boost T production for a trans woman). Furthermore, the dosage found in these pills increases anxiety levels. If taken for several weeks in a a row, it will cause something called “serotonin syndrome”, which will send you to the ER, potentially at death’s door.
If you are in queer twitter circles, spread the warning around to keep our community safe.
The site is down now, because the Neonazi running it was dumb enough to use his legal name on the Paypal account and doxxed himself.
I’m perplexed that this Twitter post is using soy as an insulting description of a fake estrogen scammer when the whole soy uproar originated with right wing fear mongering over the plant supposedly mimicking estrogen and feminizing men. Soy as an insult is transphobia and it seems out of place in a post calling out a transphobic Nazi.
Apart from that, I do appreciate when Neonazis out themselves so they can face consequences for their actions.
Oh thank goodness, I’m so glad to hear that!
No actually, this needs to be in the body of the post.
This isn’t someone looking to make a quick buck off the backs of desperate trans women.
This is someone who is gathering a hit list. This person may use your info for active swatting, but not just that, this product will kill you.
This product is outright dangerous. This dose of ashwagandha is ASTRONOMICAL. It’s anxiolytic - meaning that it causes agitation and anxiety - and if you take this dose every day you’ll be developing serotonin syndrome within 4-6 weeks, and an ER trip/death within 8. And if you’re on medications that interact (SSRIs, antipsychotics, most kinds of opiates) or alcohol, this risk is magnified.
This person wants to KILL YOU.
I’m quoting nophicastits in that thread. This is so dangerous on every level. Please spread the word to everyone you know. I’m especially concerned about trans people in states like mine where it’s hard to access trans healthcare in general.
Yeah… The whole deal with states banning gender affirming care is the perfect breeding ground for scammers. We all need to keep an eye out
We really need access to proper care in the US, it’s unfortunate that so many people have to turn to OTC products when there’s malicious people out there like this.
The actual real product needs to be OTC!
This was pretty blatantly stupid. What would be REALLY scary is if someone really clever and really evil were to do it, actually entering the real gray market and gaining good reputation first, then slowly introducing bad stuff into the product and quietly passing all the personal information to neonazis. >_<
Why would you give them ideas ‽
I guess it would make sense to create fake identity to protect yourself.
My main concern would be ordering over the counter medicine online from a non-licensed or unverified pharmacy which is incredibly irresponsible and quite frankly stupid to do so. If you have to find medicine, do it at the store in person. They are regulated and have to go through so many red tapes before they can make it to the shelf, online though, there is no red tape and by the time you find out something is wrong, it could be too late and you end up dead.
I can just buy estradiol in a pharmacy no questions asked (VAMOS ARGENTINA CARAJOOO) but people in most countries—especially in Europe—can’t. Prescription means really require a prescription over there, and it’s not all informed consent there, there are often horrid waiting lists or requirements and so on.
So people do order online, and there are very reputable vendors like Otokonoko who make their own stuff, as well as services that just get officially made product from pharmacies in countries where it is de facto over-the-counter and shipping is cheap/easy (namely Turkey).
Damn, that is horrible. But, I can see someone going for it, not even thinking about what it actually is. A general rule of thumb is if something promises an effect that only ever is done with prescription meds and/or doctor visits and the only “alternatives” you can find are from ads and products, it is undoubtedly a scam.
