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You have come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

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

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

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As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.