You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company 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”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
