You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
