You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur 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 logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” 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 significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
