You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
