You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
