You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
