You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
