You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
