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You have 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. The problem is expense.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS comes through providing a URL to a website with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms recently, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding buying such unlawful weight loss medicines without a prescription from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of customers who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum stolen through scams involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

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

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.

The messages or updates will often use pressure-inducing language such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a serious monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” says the fraud expert.

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As with all scams, the wise saying applies: should something seem too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure this is correctly licensed.