🔗 Share this article Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm' You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to 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 comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it. The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems. The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash. Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”. New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate. “Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead. What it looks like Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks. The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”. As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply. “Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert. Recommended Actions Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine. Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health. Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.