Fraudsters' Counterfeit Goods 'Could Cause Real Harm'
You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.
Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.
The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.
The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.
Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.
Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.
“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.
How It Appears
Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.
The messages or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.
With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.
“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.
Recommended Actions
Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.
Health regulators 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 medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.
Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.
