You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
