You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
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 website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
