Fraudsters' Counterfeit Products 'May Lead to Serious Damage'
You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.