You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
