One of the most prevalent current internet scams is fake on-line pharmacies. Fake pharmacies solicit drug users by using the internet and spam emails offering drugs and a very low cost, and ones that are especially attractive for the active drug abuser, without the need of a prescription from a doctor. Not only are they highly illegal in most states, they can result in serious financial and/or medical problems. One of the main goals of these outfits is steal your credit card information and to download dangerous files onto your hard drive. As well, even if you actually receive the medicines or products, there is no guarantee of their authenticity.
One of the initial signs of these outfits is when you receive an unsolicited email, offering very inexpensive medicines. In order to get your attention, they will sometimes promote popular drugs such Prozac and/or narcotics such as Vicodin. One of their most common tricks to avoid anti-spam filters is to have extra spaces between the words and/or unnecessary apostrophes or other symbols. The title of the email usually has nothing to do with the text; be on the lookout for these signs in particular. Most importantly, they will offer drugs that you’d need a prescription for, even if you don’t have one. They also usually offer miracle cures for such diseases as aids, cancer, baldness, etc., along with drugs of abuse. These pharmacies are usually overseas, and do not include a contact telephone number or address.
Again, even if the said company delivers the drugs requested, there is no guarantee as to their authenticity or purity, and these drugs can have grave side effects, depending on the medical condition of the user. In the end, the quality is akin to buying street drugs; you really have no idea as to what you’re actually getting. The goal for most of these companies is to acquire your identification and credit card information, so that they can sell them to persons who engage in identity theft.
In the end, you will at least be out of pocket, and this can be very costly. The seller’s identity will be disguised to the point where you will have an extremely difficult time negotiating any kind of refund if you’re not satisfied.
If you are a victim of on-line pharmaceutical fraud, there are a few steps you can take. First, keep all receipts and information from any transactions you make. Don’t use money transfers for purchases; they are generally not secure. After contacting the seller, if you don’t get the desired results, immediately contact your credit card company and tell them that you think you’ve been the victim of on-line fraud. This will enable them to at least stop your credit card from being charged extra, unauthorized charges. They will advise you further how to ensure that your finances remain secure. If you have taken medication and you’re unsure of the quality, be sure to visit your doctor and have appropriate tests made to determine your medical condition and any medical steps that need to be taken.
It’s important to note that there are indeed legitimate online pharmacies. These companies will have full contact details listed, and also will require a prescription from a doctor before they send out any medicines that require one.