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

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement 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 no product and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

Most 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 spelling or logos.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.