You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
