You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the 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 increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place 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 urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
