You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
