You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, 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 issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort 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 website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
