Online Pharmacy Scams
Author: Aurelijus Panasiukas
Medicines are one of the essential goods which are bought online more frequently in recent years. It is more convenient; the choice is greater, and it can be cheaper than the local pharmacy. However, there are great dangers that come with online pharmacies, especially when it comes down to prescription medicines.
Some online pharmacies, usually illegal, sell drugs when you complete a questionnaire that may be evaluated. Others may not even require that. This is completely illegal in most countries and can be very dangerous. Moreover, you may even receive a counterfeit drug that can lead to lifelong health problems.
How to Check if an Online Pharmacy is Legit or a Scam
Online drugstores that are a scam usually can be identified by the following signs:
- No examination/prescription needed: Don't buy from sites that offer to prescribe a prescription drug for the first time without a physical exam, sell a prescription drug without a prescription, or sell drugs not approved in your country.
- No phone & address: Don't do business with sites that do not provide access to a registered pharmacist to answer questions. Avoid sites that do not identify with whom you are dealing and do not mention an address and phone number to contact them if there's a problem.
- Offer medical inventions: Beware of sites that advertise a "new cure" for a serious disorder or a quick cure-all for a wide range of ailments. There are no generic drugs or treatments which cure AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer and other deadly diseases.
- Use unclear terminology: Be careful of sites that use impressive-sounding terminology to disguise a lack of good science or those that claim the government, the medical profession, or research scientists have conspired to suppress a product. Legit drugstores use language which you can understand as they know you are not a professional.
- Promise amazing results: Steer clear of sites that include undocumented case histories claiming "amazing" results.
How to Recognize Legit Online Pharmacies
Our general recommendation is to only order (prescription) medicine online from a drugstore or pharmacy that is in your neighborhood and that has your medical information on file. Always talk to your healthcare professional before using any medication for the first time. Medication bought online might be cheaper and delivered faster, but chances are that they are a scam and never deliver. The product may even seriously harm you.
Online drugstores which are safe can be recognized by these signs:
- Offer a personal account: Users open an account with the pharmacy, submitting credit and insurance information. Security is tight to protect your privacy. The pharmacy is licensed to sell prescription drugs by the state in which it operates and in those states to which it sells, if an out-of-state license is required.
- Require a valid prescription: After establishing an account, users must submit a valid prescription. Doctors can call it in, or users can deliver it to the pharmacy by fax or mail.
- Offer reliable shipment: Some online pharmacies send products from a central depot using known delivery companies such as DHL, Fedex or local national mail companies, while others allow users to pick the prescription up at a local drugstore.
- Show contact details: Sites typically have a mechanism for users to ask questions of the pharmacist, either through e-mail or a toll-free number.
Online drug stores with the extension ‘.pharmacy’ are very likely to be genuine. Watch the video below for more information:
Additional Information
When in need of medicine, time can be short, but we highly recommend taking time before purchasing online. There is an official blacklist online pharmacies: safe.pharmacy. However, be aware that this can be outdated soon as new online pharmacies are popping up frequently. Thus, we recommend scanning a website on Scamadviser.com to increase the change to avoid scammers.
There is a great amount of information online more in-depth about fake drugs and pharmacies. We recommend IRACM - the organization fighting counterfeit drugs. WebMD has some nice tips as well.
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