You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile 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 properly registered.
