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You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins 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 impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

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

How It Appears

The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.

These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned 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 healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim 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 correctly licensed.