You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. 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. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
