Plus-size YouTuber Meghan Tonjes slams weight loss clinic for using her picture

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Meghan Tonjes, 29, learned through a YouTube subscriber that her picture was hanging on the wall in a Georgia weight loss clinic
Under the picture was a 'success story' that claimed that the woman pictured used the clinic's products - even though Meghan hasn't
The Los Angeles resident was never notified or asked for permission, so she called the clinic to complain

Published: 11:14 EST, 28 September 2015 | Updated: 13:53 EST, 28 September 2015

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A popular plus-size YouTuber has revealed her shock and anger after learning that a Georgia-based weight loss clinic was using images of her face in one of its ads - without her permission or her knowledge – to illustrate a ‘fake’ story about a woman who had lost nearly 40 pounds of baby weight.

Meghan Tonjes, 29, is a lot of things. The Los Angeles resident is a singer, songwriter, vlogger, and plus-size advocate. But one thing she's not? A new mother-turned-‘success story’ for the weight loss clinic in Hiram, Georgia, over 2,000 miles away - but that didn't stop them from using her picture on an ad in their offices.

When Meghan found out, she was shocked, and immediately called the clinic to confront them about it, while filming the phone conversation for her YouTube channel.

Scroll down for video

That's me! Meghan Tonjes, from Los Angeles, was angry to learn that her face had been used in an in-office ad for a Georgia weight loss clinic - without her permission

Take that! The 29-year-old called the clinic to ask them about the shady practice and inform them that her lawyer would be in touch

'I'm so furious,' Meghan says in the clip documenting the surprisingly even-keeled phone call. Though she admitted that she was 'shaking' with anger, she kept her tone remarkably calm as she explained the situation to viewers and phoned the doctor's office.

'So I just woke up to a Facebook message from one of my subscribers asking me about an advertisement they had seen,' she says. 'So I click on this picture; it is a picture of me with this entire story about this miraculous weight loss, all at this weight loss clinic in Georgia.'

In the fake story, Meghan's initials are listed as 'D.A', the ad falsely states that she has lost 38 pounds of baby weight since going to the Snapthin clinic for help. Meghan, of course, has never been to Snapthin - and she doesn't have a baby, either.

'D.A. came in just as she was finishing breastfeeding her first child (a girl),' says the 'success story' below a picture of Meghan. 'As you may have guessed, D. was hoping to lose the weight she had gained during pregnancy. She had heard plenty of stories of how difficult it could be, and she did not want to wait on getting it off.'

The details: This 'success story' had been used in a clinic called Snapthin in Hiram, Georgia

Denial: Dr. Jay Goldklang (pictured) runs the clinic; in a statement on the business' Facebook page, he denied any wrongdoing

It went on: 'Her first month D. was down from her starting weight of 262 a total of 15 pounds to 247. By the time D. went on the Snapthin plan for 90 days, described as 'very easy and fits well in her lifestyle', D. weighed in at 233 and by month 4 check in was 224. That was an average of 9 pounds a month (we think that is great) that include 4 inches off the hips and 3 inches off the waist. [sic]'

The ad went on to list which products and methods she used, concluding: 'It worked for her baby weight. It will work for you too.'

'So here's the thing: You can't do that,' Meghan says. 'And I have a lawyer, thank god. So I'm gonna call this clinic with a few questions about a success story that I saw.'

Meghan dials her phone, and the line is picked up by a receptionist at the clinic. Meghan puts on an act, telling her that she has been to the clinic before, and has a question about one of the success stories she saw advertised on the wall. She'd like to know more about a blonde girl named 'D.A.' - specifically, what her starting weight was.

Class act: Though Megan was 'shaking' with anger, she stayed remarkably calm on the phone with the receptionist who answered

Say what? The ad claimed that Meghan, or 'D.A.', had gained weight while pregnant and lost 38 pounds with Snapthin

'I just wanted to know her original weight, because I think we're around the same weight... and I just wanted to see how much she lost,' Meghan tells her.

The receptionist puts her on hold, presumably to go find the success story poster on the office wall. When she comes back, she tells Meghan that D.A.'s starting weight was 262lbs.

'That's incredible! She went down from 262 to 233,' Meghan replies.

'Uh-huh. We've had several lose more than that,' the receptionist informs her.

Still sugary-sweet, Meghan then asks to speak to a manager and is told that Dr. Jay Goldklang, who runs the clinic, is out for the day. She says she'd like to leave a message.

Moving on: eghan was clearly angry with the clinic but hopes the nice receptionist she spoke to gets a better-paying job somewhere else

'Can you tell him that that photo that I was talking about - in that photo, I was actually around 270lbs, and my name is not D.A., my name is Meghan Tonjes,' she says. 'I haven't breastfed a child. I didn't use this program. I didn't lose weight in that way.'

She continues smoothly: 'I actually was sent a picture on Facebook that the doctor seems to be using advertising of my face on his success stories wall. And I don't know who this man is or why my picture's being used to promote something that I haven't used. But I just wanted to let the doctor know that I hope that he had a good day off and I will be contacting my lawyer, because that's incredibly illegal to use my face on advertising without payment and without notification.'

The receptionist, seemingly unruffled, asks for her name against and thanks her with a thick Georgian accent before the two hang up.

Since Meghan posted the video on YouTube, Snapthin's Facebook and Twitter pages have been deleted - but Meghan saved and shared a Facebook update that the clinic posted before getting rid of its account.

Burn! Meghan noted that it's a problem for the company's product if they can't find enough real success stories to advertise with

Vocal fanbase: Her social media followers chimed in to show support

'Allow us to comment on comments about "fake" imagery used by Snapthin,' they said. 'Before/after photos on our website are all of actual clients with written permission for use of their photos. Any other website images are paid stock photos with rights to use.'

Meghan is still not buying it, and fired back at the clinic several times before it deleted its social media accounts.

'You're selling people on fat-dissolving shots and pills and you can't even find enough "success stories" for your wall,' she wrote on Twitter.

However, while Meghan clearly wants the clinic to make financial amends for using her picture, she does hope that if the bad press hurts the business, the nice receptionist lands on her feet.

'I hope the lovely woman I talked to on the phone gets a better paying job anywhere else and the rest of you can f*** off,' she said.