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You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no necessity to go through official channels. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via social media, stating they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a significant surge in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or logos.

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

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

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

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.