You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need 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'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, 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. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
