You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, 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 online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
