Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

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

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.

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

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem 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. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.