You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate 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 pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
