You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
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 slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
