You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent 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 imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks 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, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
