You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
