You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
