You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street 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, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams 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. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
