You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad 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 nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing 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. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
