🔗 Share this article

You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, 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 there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

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

How It Appears

Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

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

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

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

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.