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You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” 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.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.