Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.