You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances 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 scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths 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 medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
