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You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

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As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.