You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
