You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
