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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

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

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying 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 buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.