You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: 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 via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
