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You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

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

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

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

Medical authorities have warned 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 medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.