Fraudsters' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'
You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims ÂŁ120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
