You've come across so much regarding the use of 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 cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms 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 will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
