You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go 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. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
