You've come across a great deal about people using 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.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage 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 via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
