You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, 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 “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
