You've heard and read so much regarding the use of 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 cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts 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 media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
