Fraudsters' Counterfeit Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.
The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.
The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.
Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.
New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
What it looks like
Most 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 slight variations in text or brand marks.
These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.
As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.
“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
What to do
Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. 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 serious risks to wellbeing.
Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.
