You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components 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 simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show 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, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
