You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
