You've come across 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 festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
