You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
