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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in fake goods 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 absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

Most occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.

The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

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

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.