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You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.

These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. 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 online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.