You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators 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 “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
