You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
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 scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost 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 soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
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 buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
