You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
