You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “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 unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
