You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components 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 scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
