You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate 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 “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
