Fraudsters' Fake Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'

You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

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

Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.

These communications 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 recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.