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You've come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go 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. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £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.

How It Appears

Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.