Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.
