You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.
But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities 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 messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.
