Scam Adverts for Medical Products -Trading Standards

27th June 2025

There have been lots of recent reports of scam adverts on search engines and social media that offer health products such as diet pills and 'miracle' treatments for various conditions and illnesses.

They usually falsely claim that the products they are selling are endorsed by medical bodies and/or well-known doctors who have appeared on television, but fail to send any products after receiving payment for them.

One advert used the name and branding of a clinic in London and offered a laser pen to remove moles which was supposedly endorsed by the NHS. One consumer clicked on the advert and paid £35 but didn't receive the product and has been unable to contact the company to secure a refund.

In another case, several consumers clicked on a social media advert for a 'bee venom cream' which was supposedly designed to 'tackle various skin issues'. The advert falsely stated that the cream had been developed by the MHRA and was recommended by the British Association of Dermatologists and Allergy UK. Many of those who paid for the cream did not receive anything and some customers who did receive a product had a bad reaction to it and had to seek medical treatment.

There have also been reports of scam adverts offering weight loss patches and pills, diabetes devices, prostate treatment drops and devices to treat breathing issues.

If you have seen an online advert that you think is a scam, you can report it to the Advertising Standards Authority: www.asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint/report-an-online-scam-ad.html

How to Avoid
Be extremely wary about purchasing any health or medical products via an online advert.
The MHRA (Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency) warn that fake medical products bought online can lead to serious negative health consequences. It is illegal to sell fake or unauthorised medicines and medical devices in the UK.

They advise that medical products should only be purchased online from pharmacy websites that are registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can find a full list of registered pharmacies at www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers

You can check if a product has been approved for use in the UK on the MHRA website: https://products.mhra.gov.uk

The MHRA have provided the following advice on how to spot scam adverts/websites offering medical products:
They make exaggerated claims about the product, such as ‘100% safe', ‘no side effects’ or ‘quick results’
They advertise prescription-only medicines and prices on the ‘home page’ (this is illegal in the UK)
They don't require a prescription for prescription medicines
They accept payment in crypto currencies
You are asked not to name the medicine or website in your banking transaction reference
They don't provide a physical or street address
Find out More
Information from the MHRA on how to spot fake medical products: https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/spot-a-fake/
General Pharmaceutical Council register of pharmacies: https://www.pharmacyregulation.org/registers
MHRA Fake Meds campaign page: https://fakemeds.campaign.gov.uk/
MHRA Product register: https://products.mhra.gov.uk/
Original article with further examples: https://www.which.co.uk/news/article/social-media-platforms-are-failing-to-block-dubious-health-ads-as3to0b9CRxl