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You have come across so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, you feel it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is expense.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS comes through giving a link to a site with more affordable medication – and with no necessity to navigate proper procedures. You also noticed a similar ad on online platforms the other day, so you decide to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly scams. At best, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing these illegal weight loss medicines absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or through social media, saying they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of clients who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money stolen through fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

The majority occur on messaging apps and social networks. On socials, a profile may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

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

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

“Buying from unapproved vendors on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage applies: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a healthcare professional, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist located within the UK, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm they are correctly licensed.