You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
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 stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions 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.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
