Scammers' Fake Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” lower.
“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.
