🔗 Share this article Fraudsters' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage' You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost. Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it. The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems. The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash. Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”. Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate. “Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud. What it looks like Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks. The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”. As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply. “Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist. Recommended Actions As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is. Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. 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 can present serious risks to health. Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.