You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
