You have heard and read 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. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, 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 posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued 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 design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
