You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
