You have heard and read so much 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 expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying 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 customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
