You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals 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, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
