You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
