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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms 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.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a significant monetary, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.