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You've heard and read a great deal regarding the use of 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. The problem is cost.

But it seems alternatives exist rather than obtaining a doctor's script and going to the pharmacy. A text message comes through providing a URL to a website with much cheaper medication – and requiring no need to go through official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

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

The popularity of legitimate weight loss medications has resulted in a rise in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams set up to simply take people’s money.

Medical regulators have warned against purchasing such unlawful slimming medications without a prescription from aesthetic clinics, fake pharmacy websites or via digital platforms, stating they might include “harmful substances and other ingredients that could cause real harm”.

Recent statistics from a major retail bank show a sharp rise in the number of customers who have been affected by the scam. The bank says, the amount of money stolen through scams involving slimming jabs, pens, pills and lipid-reducing solutions between July and September this year, was over twice the overall amount lost in the previous three months. Each incident typically sets back sufferers £120, reports indicate.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting people’s insecurities and medical worries, with these scams soaring in recent months,” says a bank’s head of fraud.

What it looks like

The majority take place on communication platforms and social media. Across platforms, an account may imitate the brand that you are looking for, but you'll often notice subtle differences in spelling or logos.

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

As the price of certain authentic weight loss jabs, has increased of late, the fraudsters will price their “product” lower.

“Buying from unverified sellers on the internet can come at a significant financial, medical and psychological toll,” says the security specialist.

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As with all scams, the wise saying holds true: should something seem overly advantageous, it likely isn't genuine.

Health regulators have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. They should solely be acquired from a registered pharmacy with a valid script provided by a medical practitioner, they advise. If sourced elsewhere, they can present serious risks to health.

Fraudsters 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 the UK, you can check the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.