You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
