Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation 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, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic 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 urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.
With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
