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You've come across a great deal 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 festive season. The problem is cost.

But it seems there are other options instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a website with more affordable medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

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

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the total sum stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.

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

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased recently, the scammers will price their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious monetary, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.