You've heard and read a great deal about people using 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.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. 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 internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
