Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
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 expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
