You've heard and read so much 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 alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
