Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. At 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 entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“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 occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.

These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: 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 with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.