You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications 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”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions 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 recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should 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 wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile 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 medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
