You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must 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 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 based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
