You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
