You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.