You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
