You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
