You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
