You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.
