Scammers' Fake Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.
Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers ÂŁ120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
What it looks like
Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. 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 updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.
What to do
As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.
Fraudsters 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 the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
