Scammers' Fake Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers ÂŁ120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
