You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
