You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
