You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail 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 between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
