You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, 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.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
