You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account 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 often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, 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 using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
