You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
