You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
