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You've heard and read so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist rather than getting a prescription and going to the pharmacy. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, so you decide to go for it.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a fake version, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against buying such unlawful weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they could contain “toxins and additional components that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a high street bank show a significant surge in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or brand marks.

The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Buying from unapproved vendors online can entail a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

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

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when purchasing medications online. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.