You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned 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, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
