You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
