You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
