You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
