You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
