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You've come across a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a fake version, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was over twice the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may imitate the company that you seek, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or brand marks.

These communications or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

What to do

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

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.