Fraudsters' Fake Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'
You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal people’s money.
Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.
