You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
