You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
