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You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

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

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage 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 purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site 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 this is correctly licensed.