You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
