Scammers' Fake Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.
