You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
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 entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
