🔗 Share this article

You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals 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 located within the UK, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are correctly licensed.