You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
