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 try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
