You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice 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 these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, 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 look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
