You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.
