You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money 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 weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
