You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters 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.
What it looks like
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
