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You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

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

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.