You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
