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You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge 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, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

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

How It Appears

Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. 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 serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.