You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street 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 fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
