Scammers' Fake Goods 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You have come across so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers ÂŁ120, it says.
“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.
The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.
Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.
