You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most 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 logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
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. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
