You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, 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 registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths 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 pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
