You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
