Beware of these dodgy sites peddling fake medical products
Scammers are targeting UK consumers with copycat websites which claim to sell miraculous medical products.
Purchase scams, where victims are lured into buying items that never show up or are significantly different to those advertised, soared by 34% in 2023, according to UK Finance.
New research by The Media Trust has identified three trending scams which use copycat sites and fake celebrity endorsements to target consumers.
Read on to learn about the latest purchase scams and for advice on spotting and avoiding scam websites.
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Belly fat supplements
Scammers have created a copycat Daily Mail webpage advertising a dodgy supplement which claims to ‘dissolve belly fat.’
The fake article also includes a phoney Dragons' Den endorsement.
Victims are typically targeted via scam ads which use cloaking technology to appear as if they lead to a harmless website.
This technology also makes the link in these ads appear safe to the online platforms which host them, such as Facebook and Google.
Skin tag swindle
Another fake news article peddles a skin tag remover. This example uses a fake endorsement from Shark Tank, the US version of Dragons' Den.
Researchers found that the text on this page was a near word-for-word copy of a diet pill scam first discovered in 2018.
CBD gummies
This copycat Fox News webpage includes a fake endorsement from a well-known celebrity cardiologist to sell CBD gummies.
It claims these are a treatment for ridding blood vessels and arteries of cholesterol.
The article also includes the wild claim that the gummies will help you live to the age of 120.
Spot and avoid scam websites
If you come across a suspicious advert or website, some signs to watch out for are:
- The website’s URL. Brands typically only have one official website.
- Miraculous claims or offers that seem too good to be true.
- Only being able to pay via bank transfer.
- Poor spelling and grammar.
- Missing an 'about us' page, contact information or terms and conditions.
On most platforms, you can report scam adverts by selecting the three dots on the top right corner of the advert and pressing ‘report.’
Dodgy websites can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre.
If you fall victim to a scam, call your bank immediately using the number on the back of your bank card and report it to Action Fraud or call the police on 101 if you’re in Scotland.
