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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

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

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

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

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained 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 wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is correctly licensed.