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You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

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

Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

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

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

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

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.