You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers 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 fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
