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You have heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “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 customers who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

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

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.