You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
