Fraudsters' Fake Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'

You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

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

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.