You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. 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 paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
