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You have heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the festive season. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The problem is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and forfeit any funds you spent. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount lost in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, an account may mimic the company that you are looking for, but there will typically be slight variations in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script provided by a healthcare professional, they advise. When procured from other sources, they may pose significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort 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 online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is properly registered.