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You have heard and read so much about people using weight loss injections to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or through digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

How It Appears

The majority occur on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic slimming injections, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers online can entail a serious monetary, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.