You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. 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 confirm this is properly registered.
