You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
