Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Serious Damage'
You've come across so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options instead of 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 navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.
Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
