You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site 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 pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
