You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying 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 additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, 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 costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
