You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. 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 online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
