You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling 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 some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
