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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was over twice the overall amount stolen in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams skyrocketing in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or logos.

These communications or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, rose of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: if it appears overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is properly registered.