You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile 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 pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
