You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying 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 other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
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 Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
