You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
