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You have come across a great deal about people using slimming jabs to get slim, you feel the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. The problem is cost.

Yet it appears alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and visiting the chemist. A text message comes through giving a link to a site with much cheaper drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are highly likely to be scams. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive nothing and lose whatever money you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients which may result in serious medical issues.

The widespread use of authentic slimming drugs has led to a rise in fake goods hitting the market and deceptive practices set up to simply take people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against buying these illegal weight loss medicines without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or through social media, stating they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke real harm”.

New figures from a major retail bank show a significant surge in the quantity of clients who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to scams related to slimming jabs, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products between July and September this year, was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a financial institution's fraud prevention lead.

What it looks like

Most occur on communication platforms and social media. On socials, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or logos.

The messages or posts will often use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

As the price of some legitimate weight loss jabs, rose of late, the scammers will price their “product” lower.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

What to do

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. These products must only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script issued by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can go to great lengths to design their webpage or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy located within the UK, you can check the website of the pharmaceutical regulatory body to ensure they are properly registered.