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You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a fake version, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a rise in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may imitate the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or logos.

These communications or posts will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “item” more cheaply.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the security specialist.

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As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.