You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
