You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: 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 solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
