You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of 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.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
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 provided by a medical practitioner, 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 look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
