You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected 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 , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided 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. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
