You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts 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 messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant 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. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
