You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up 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, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
