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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options rather than getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a website with much cheaper medication – and with no necessity to go through proper procedures. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit whatever money you spent. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or via social media, saying they could contain “harmful substances and additional components that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September , was more than double the total sum stolen in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with these scams soaring in the past few months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

Most take place on messaging apps and social media. On socials, an account may mimic the company that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in text or logos.

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

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

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can entail a significant financial, health-related and psychological toll,” says the fraud expert.

What to do

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

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be extremely cautious when buying medicines online. They should only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present significant dangers to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.