Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'May Lead to Serious Damage'

You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.