You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
