You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
