Scammers' Counterfeit Goods 'May Lead to Real Harm'
You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.
But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.
The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.
These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.
