Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Serious Damage'

You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.

The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.