Fraudsters' Fake Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product 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 authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.

These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.