You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need 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 these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain 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 fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines 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 genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
