Fraudsters' Counterfeit Goods 'May Lead to Serious Damage'
You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, 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 hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few 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 brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
