You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost 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 the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
