You've heard and read so much 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 festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
