Santander has issued a stark warning after a dramatic rise in weight loss injection and supplement scams targeting its customers, with losses soaring by 143%. Between July and September alone, Santander customers lost an average of £120 per scam, totaling nearly £4,000 stolen during this period.
New data from Santander highlights a sharp increase in scams involving weight loss products such as injections, pens, tablets, and fat-dissolving treatments. From April to June, the value of these scams surged by 417%, with the volume of scams rising 286%. Additionally, scams related to supplements, pills, and medicines more than doubled in value, increasing by 105% from £6,339.
Michelle Pilsworth, Head of Fraud and Customer Experience at Santander UK, stated: “We recently saw a record number of counterfeit weight loss injections seized in the UK, reflecting the surge in scams we encounter daily. Fraudsters are exploiting people’s health concerns and insecurities through deceptive online offers.”
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Pilsworth added, “The rise in scam cases involving slimming injections, fat-dissolving products, and pills is alarming. These scams target both men and women predominantly through social media platforms and messaging apps. Our advice is simple: if an offer seems too good to be true, it likely is. Purchasing from unverified online sellers can have serious financial, health, and emotional consequences.”
The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has also warned against purchasing illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from dubious sources such as beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites, or social media. These products may contain harmful toxins or unsafe ingredients that pose significant health risks.
The MHRA urges consumers to exercise extreme caution when buying medicines online to protect both their finances and well-being.