You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds 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. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
