You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued 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. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
