You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling 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 slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
