You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim 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.
