You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, 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 there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
