You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause 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. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
