You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, 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 there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
