You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
