You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity 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 fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
