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. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals 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 medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
