You have 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 ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.
