You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
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 which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications 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.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage 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 online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
