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You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

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

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

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

These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are properly registered.