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You've come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

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

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.