You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
