You have come across a great deal regarding the use of 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 rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase 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 absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place 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 logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
