You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
