You've heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
