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You have heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers 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 during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

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

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

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

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.