You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.
