You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to 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 arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few 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 brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages 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 of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
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 online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
