Public Warned Against Slimming Scam

The Northern Ireland public is being warned against accepting offers of slimming products that claim to be on a 'free trial basis'.

Consumers have reported to the Trading Standards Service (TSS) online offers for a free sample weight loss product online, which claimed customers would only pay for postage and packaging.

Customers later discovered they had unwittingly signed up to a £69 per month regular supply of the product.

In some cases, consumers did not notice for seven or eight months.

TSS has received more than 100 complaints from consumers about this scam.

One Belfast consumer saw an online advertisement for weight loss and body cleansing 'natural' herbal tablets at a trial price of only £2.49 for postage and packaging.

He ordered the tablets, which arrived with a letter stating that they would charge £69.95 per bottle from his credit card.

Trading Standards have discovered the full details of what consumers were signing up to were hidden in the detailed terms and conditions.

Damien Doherty, Fair Trading Area Inspector for TSS, said: "Consumers should ensure that, when providing bank details for online offers, they always read the terms and conditions carefully to know exactly what they are signing up to.

"We have spoken to many consumers who felt that they had tried everything to lose weight with no success and that they are willing to try anything. The scammers exploit that sense of desperation with a no obligation 'free trial', and profit from it by signing consumers up to a monthly subscription without them knowing."

He added: "Slimming aids can be very expensive and, for some of the products on sale, there is little scientific evidence that using them will result in successful weight loss – indeed, consumers could even be potentially putting their health at risk."

The warning comes during Scams Awareness Month. TSS says Northern Ireland consumers lose millions of pounds every year on advance fee loan scams, computer virus scams, counterfeit goods, doorstep selling scams, foreign lotteries and other scams.

(IT)