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You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show 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 weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost 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 such frauds soaring in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious monetary, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers 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 internet-based chemist located within Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.