You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
