You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. 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.
