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You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options 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 medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

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

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

These communications or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.