You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers 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 internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
