You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause 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 total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
