Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'May Lead to Serious Damage'

You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

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

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.