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You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing 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 other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.

These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

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

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 using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.