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You've heard and read so much regarding the use of slimming jabs to get slim, it feels like it is time to give it a go in the run-up to the festive season. The problem is expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the chemist. An SMS comes through giving a link to a website with more affordable drugs – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a similar ad on social media the other day, prompting you to go for it.

The problem is these ads are almost certainly fraudulent schemes. In the best-case scenario, you'll receive no product and lose any funds you paid. At worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, with unknown ingredients that could lead to serious medical issues.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a rise in fake goods entering circulation and scams set up to simply take consumers' cash.

Medical regulators have advised avoiding buying such unlawful slimming medications absent a doctor's order from beauty salons, fake pharmacy websites or via social media, stating they could contain “harmful substances and additional components which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been impacted by the scam. According to the bank, the amount of money lost to scams involving slimming jabs, injector pens, pills and fat-dissolving products between July and September , was more than double the overall amount stolen in the previous three months. The average scam sets back sufferers £120, it says.

“Scammers are actively exploiting individuals' self-doubts and health concerns, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

How It Appears

Most occur on messaging apps and social networks. Across platforms, a profile may mimic the brand that you seek, but there will typically be subtle differences in spelling or brand marks.

These communications or updates will frequently use urgency-laden phrases such as “time-sensitive deal”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

“Purchasing from unverified sellers online can entail a significant monetary, health-related and emotional cost,” warns the fraud expert.

Recommended Actions

As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, then it probably is.

Medical authorities have warned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a licensed chemist using a prescription issued by a healthcare professional, it says. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to wellbeing.

Criminals can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page appear completely genuine. Should they state to be an online pharmacy based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the online portal of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is properly registered.