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You have come across so much regarding the use of weight loss injections to lose weight, you feel it is time to try them out in the run-up to the festive season. However, the issue lies in expense.

Yet it appears there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. An SMS arrives giving a link to a site with more affordable drugs – and with no necessity to navigate official channels. And you saw a similar ad on online platforms the other day, prompting you to take the plunge.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. At best, you'll receive nothing and forfeit whatever money you paid. At worst, you receive a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to serious medical issues.

The popularity of authentic slimming drugs has led to a increase in fake goods entering circulation and scams established to merely steal people’s money.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, bogus online chemists or via digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and additional components which may provoke real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank reveal a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been impacted by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money lost to fraudulent activities involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the prior quarter. Each incident typically costs victims £120, reports indicate.

“Fraudsters are actively exploiting people’s insecurities and health concerns, with such frauds skyrocketing in recent months,” notes a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on messaging apps and social media. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in text or brand marks.

These communications or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “exclusive deal” or “free giveaway”.

With the cost of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased recently, the scammers will set the cost of their “product” more cheaply.

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can come at a serious financial, medical and psychological toll,” warns the security specialist.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the old adage holds true: if it appears too good to be true, then it probably is.

Health regulators have warned people to be highly vigilant when purchasing medications via the web. They should only be obtained from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, it says. When procured from other sources, they can present significant dangers to health.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. If they claim to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, you can check the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.