You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
