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You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

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

How It Appears

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

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

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

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.