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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices established to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products 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 such frauds soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.