You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
