You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
