You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
