Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.