You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
