You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
