You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
