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You have come across so much about people using slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like the moment has come to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems alternatives exist instead of getting a prescription and going to the chemist. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper medication – and with no need to go through proper procedures. You also noticed a comparable advertisement on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The catch is such promotions are almost certainly scams. At best, you will be sent no product and forfeit any funds you paid. At worst, you receive a fake version, with unknown ingredients which may result in severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has led to a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to merely steal people’s money.

Health authorities have warned against buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via 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 affected by the scam. According to the bank, the total sum lost to scams related to weight loss injections, pens, tablets and fat-dissolving products during the third quarter this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in the past few months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

Most take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or updates will frequently use pressure-inducing language such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic slimming injections, rose recently, the fraudsters will price their “item” lower.

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

What to do

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

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines via the web. These products must solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy using a prescription issued by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or online profile look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to ensure they are properly registered.