Scammers' Fake Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'

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 holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present 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 located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.