You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
