You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
