Fraudsters' Fake Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money 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 resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets 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 £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
