You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
