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You have heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.