Scammers' Counterfeit Products 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.
Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.
The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.
How It Appears
The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.
The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.
Recommended Actions
As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.
Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.
