You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
