You have 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 expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
