You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. 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 they are correctly licensed.
