You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice 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 these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
