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You've heard and read so much about people using slimming jabs to lose weight, it feels like the moment has come to try them out in the run-up to the holiday period. However, the issue lies in expense.

But it seems there are other options instead of obtaining a doctor's script and visiting the pharmacy. An SMS arrives providing a URL to a site with much cheaper drugs – and requiring no need to navigate official channels. And you saw a comparable advertisement on online platforms recently, prompting you to take the plunge.

The catch is these ads are almost certainly scams. In the best-case scenario, you will be sent no product and lose any funds you spent. In the worst, you obtain a counterfeit item, containing unspecified components that could lead to severe health problems.

The widespread use of legitimate slimming drugs has resulted in a increase in counterfeit products hitting the market and scams established 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 through digital platforms, saying they might include “toxins and other ingredients which may provoke genuine injury”.

New figures from a high street bank show a significant surge in the quantity of customers who have been affected by the fraud. 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 lost in the prior quarter. The average scam costs victims £120, it says.

“Scammers are deliberately targeting individuals' self-doubts and medical worries, with these scams skyrocketing in the past few months,” says 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 slight variations in text or brand marks.

The messages or posts will often use urgency-laden phrases such as “limited-time offer”, “special promotion” or “complimentary gift”.

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

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

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Like any deceptive scheme, the wise saying applies: if it appears too good to be true, it likely isn't genuine.

Medical authorities have cautioned people to be highly vigilant when buying medicines online. These products must only be obtained from a licensed chemist using a prescription provided by a healthcare professional, it says. When procured from other sources, they may pose serious risks to wellbeing.

Fraudsters can expend considerable effort to make their site or social media page look as authentic as possible. Should they state to be an internet-based chemist based in Great Britain, it's possible to verify the website of the medicines oversight organisation to confirm this is correctly licensed.