You've 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 cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up 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, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page 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 properly registered.
