You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting 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 messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
