You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms 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.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
