You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
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 buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
