You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
