You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company 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”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
