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You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices 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, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

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

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.

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

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.