You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – 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 fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
