You've come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
