You have 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. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
