You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
