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You have heard and read a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

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

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

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

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.