Community Corner

Beware of Prescription Scams

The following was submitted by the North Andover Senior Center.

Shopping online can be a convenient way to look around and compare prices.  But when it comes to buying prescriptions drugs online, be cautious: You could end up with drugs that are fake or include dangerous ingredients.

Or, scammers who set up legitimate-looking websites could trick you into giving up personal information that they can use to steal your identity, take your money and send defective drugs, or simply vanish and send nothing at all.

How do you deal with a reputable pharmacy? The FDA recommends using only websites of U.S. based pharmacies licensed by a state’s board of pharmacy. The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy has contact information for your state’s board, as well as a list of online pharmacies that has been accredited through its Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites program. These pharmacies are licensed and meet other criteria.

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Avoid sites that:

  • Don’t require a prescription
  • Don’t have a licensed pharmacist available to answer questions
  • Don’t provide their physical business address and phone number
  • Are based outside the United States or aren’t licensed by the state board of pharmacy where they are based.

A disreputable seller could send drugs that are fake, expired, mislabeled, or the wrong dosage. The drugs could contain dangerous ingredients, or may not be stored or shipped correctly. And if this site is based outside of the United States there is very little the United States government can do if you get ripped off. 

Find out what's happening in North Andoverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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