You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products 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 actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
