You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
