You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, 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, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
