You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
