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You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message arrives giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no need to navigate proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media recently, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components which may result in serious medical issues.

The popularity of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have advised avoiding purchasing such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the fraud. The bank says, the total sum lost to scams related to weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

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

The messages or posts will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

With the cost of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers online can come at a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the security specialist.

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Like any deceptive scheme, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have warned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. When procured from other sources, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can go to great lengths to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, it's possible to verify the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to confirm this is correctly licensed.