You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals 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 based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
