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You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes 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 company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

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

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired 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 wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.