You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers 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 applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
