You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority 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 subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” 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 warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
