You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch 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 fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
