Fraudsters' Fake Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures 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 stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.