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You've come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the old adage holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.