You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel 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 alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds 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 fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
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 using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
