You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
