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You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.