You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
