You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, 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 online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
