You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
