You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke 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 related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued 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 social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
