You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established 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, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products 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, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
