Fraudsters' Fake Products 'May Lead to Serious Damage'

You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.