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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. The problem is expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product 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 slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

Most occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

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

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

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.