Fraudsters' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'

You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, 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. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.

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

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.