You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, 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 individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.
These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers 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 online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
