You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
