You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
