You've 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 festive season. However, the issue lies in 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 much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
