You have 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 ahead of 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 website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, 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 nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
