You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned 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 healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
