You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
