You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script 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 social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail 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 scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, 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 based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
