You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector 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.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
