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You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

Most 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 spelling or brand marks.

These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says 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 highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.