You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics 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, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, 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 health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
