You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
