You've 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 holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
