You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, 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 rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
