You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. 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 rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
