You've heard and read so much about people using 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.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
