You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
