You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state 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 correctly licensed.
