You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page 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 pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
