You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
