You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts 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 communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. 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 appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
