You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
