You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come 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. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters 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 the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
