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You've come across 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. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is such promotions are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and lose any funds you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are correctly licensed.