You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain 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 rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
