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You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, injector 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, it says.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters 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 the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.