You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of 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. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters 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 based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
