You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, 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 appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
