You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” 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.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
