You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed 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 no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must 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 health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page 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 pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
