You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
