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You've come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel the moment has come to give it a go ahead of the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a website with more affordable medication – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are highly likely to be fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose whatever money you paid. In the worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has led to a increase in fake goods hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been impacted by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social networks. On socials, a profile may mimic the company that you are looking for, but you'll often notice slight variations in text or logos.

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

With the cost of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “item” lower.

“Purchasing from unapproved vendors on the internet can entail a serious financial, medical and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within Great Britain, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure this is properly registered.