You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate 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”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
