You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
