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You've heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message arrives providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost 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 soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or logos.

These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.