You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic 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 urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals 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 the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
