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You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was over twice the total sum lost in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

The messages or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

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

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.