You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says 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 highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
