You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired 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 health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
