Scammers' Fake Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'

You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message 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 problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring 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 media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.

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

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.