You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
