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You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, 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 obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, 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 reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.

These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying 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 buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.