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You've heard and read a great deal about people using weight loss injections to lose weight, it feels like it is time to try them out ahead of the festive season. However, the issue lies in cost.

But it seems there are other options rather than obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no necessity to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on online platforms the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and forfeit whatever money you paid. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to severe health problems.

The popularity of authentic weight loss medications has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products entering circulation and deceptive practices set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Health authorities have warned against purchasing these illegal slimming medications without a prescription from beauty salons, bogus online chemists or through social media, saying they could contain “toxins and other ingredients that could cause genuine injury”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the fraud. According to the bank, the total sum lost to fraudulent activities involving weight loss injections, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter , was more than double the total sum lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, it says.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with such frauds soaring in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority occur on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, a profile may imitate the company 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”.

As the price of some legitimate slimming injections, has increased of late, the scammers will set the cost of their “item” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” 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 cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.

Criminals can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.