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You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

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

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , 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 people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.

These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

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

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.