You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place 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.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
