Fraudsters' Counterfeit Goods 'May Lead to Serious Damage'
You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
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 extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.