You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
