You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines 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 may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
