You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice 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 “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
