You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link 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 go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
