You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
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 paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics 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 scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
