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You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.