Scammers' Fake Goods 'May Lead to Serious Damage'
You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.