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You have come across a great deal regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices established to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

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

What to do

Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.