You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
