You have 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 in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage 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 medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
