Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

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

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription 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 appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.