You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement 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 no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals 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 online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
