You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
