You've come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
