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You have heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

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

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm they are properly registered.