You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage 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 confirm they are properly registered.
