You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
