You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
