You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At 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 hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
