You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
