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You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with more affordable drugs – 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 these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

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

Health authorities have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

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

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can come at a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page 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 pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are correctly licensed.