You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, 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 rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
