Red Flags
Since fraudulent pharmacies often hide behind professional-looking, legitimate-sounding Web sites, how can you tell if a pharmacy is not safe to order from? There are several red flags or warning signs you can look for. Do not order from an Internet pharmacy if:
- no doctor’s prescription is required.
- they offer an online “consultation” (usually in the form of a questionnaire) after which they will “prescribe” and ship your medication.
- no phone number is given. You should be able to contact a legitimate pharmacy by phone.
- no physical address is given or only a post office box is given. Be aware that sometimes a fake address is used. For example, MyCanadianPharmacy (mentioned earlier) shows both an address (that is not accurate) and a supposed photo of their building (that has been doctored).
- prices are drastically lower than the competition.
- the sales pitch sounds too good to be true (i.e., they promise “miracle” cures).
- the site uses poor grammar or broken English. This is usually a clue that the operation is based in a foreign country––not the U.S. or Canada as they claim.
- the site is not secure. Just because they say their site is secure or they show secure site logos (like Verisign) does not make it so. When you get ready to “check out,” the URL on that page should start with https:// (not http://). The “s” following the http indicates the page is secure.
How to Identify a Safe Site
There are safe, reputable pharmacies available on the Internet. As long as you take the proper precautions, you can take advantage of the benefits of comparing prices and ordering your medications from the comfort of your home. A safe Internet pharmacy should:
- be located and licensed in the country in which you reside because drug names, potencies and ingredients may vary from one country to another. To find out if a U.S. pharmacy has a valid license and is in good standing, check the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Web site.
- require a prescription from a healthcare professional licensed to write prescriptions in your country.
- have a licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions.
- provide you with a valid phone number where you can talk to a real live person.
- offer a secure site when you check out (see warning above).
