You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, 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 medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
