You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost 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 these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
