You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established 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 via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
