You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent 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 popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present 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 located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
