You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
