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 festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through 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 online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most 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 subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.
