You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
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 amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
