You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
