You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
