You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, 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 paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage 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 licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
