Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'

You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.