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You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.