You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort 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, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
