You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, 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, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths 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.
