You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. 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 comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.
