You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
