You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
