You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam 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.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
