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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.