You've come across 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 festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
