You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs 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 there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
