You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
