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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and lose whatever money you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

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

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem too good to be true, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.