You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“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
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
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 with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
