You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. 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 rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
