You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
