You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often 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 fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
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 Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
