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You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through 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 social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is these ads are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

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

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.