Fraudsters' Fake Products 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, 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 warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. 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 they are properly registered.
