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You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

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

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.