You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector 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 sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
