🔗 Share this article

You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.