You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist 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 official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take 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 other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks 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 online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
