You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
