Last updated : December 16, 2024
The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) put out a warning on October 4,2024 warning the public of the dangers of purchasing medication from online pharmacies. The warning stated that there has been an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit merchandise made with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Unsuspecting U.S. citizens believe they’re purchasing regulated pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, and Xanax, as well as other drugs.
They assume they’re purchasing these drugs from legitimate pharmacies.
The sites look legit
Americans are turning to online pharmacies to purchase medications due to the convenience and because they often spend less. That factor is becoming more important as people across the country are feeling the squeeze of inflation. Even though the websites look legitimate, they are often foreign-based.
So far, the DEA has identified websites operated in the Dominican Republic and India.
The sites are often identified as being legitimate online pharmacies because they:
- Offer 24-hour customer service
- Have fake reviews posted to the site
- List safety information
- Offer deep discounts
In reality, though, they are working with drug traffickers to fulfill their orders. And drug traffickers don’t care one bit about the customer’s health.
Quite the opposite
Selling counterfeit pills online manufactured using fentanyl unbeknownst to the customer puts them at increased risk of dying from an overdose. The pills are shaped, dyed, and stamped to look authentic
Fentanyl has a place in the medical community. Physicians prescribe it to treat patients suffering from severe chronic pain or following intense surgery. It’s administered through a patch in most cases.
Just a tiny amount of the drug, which can be likened to just a few grains of salt, can be lethal. It is 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine.
Illicit fentanyl, made in clandestine laboratories owned and operated by drug cartels, has no form of regulation. This makes it impossible to gauge the batch potency. Moreover, keep in mind that the person taking the drug has no idea that fentanyl is the main ingredient. In fact, most counterfeit online pharmacies are selling drugs that don’t contain the advertised drug at all.
Online pharmacies are pressing their luck
The DEA is committed to shutting down these illegal websites taking advantage of American citizens. Operation Press Your Luck allows you to track updates to the process and glean important information to help keep you and your family safe.
The following list contains site addresses identified by the DEA as fake pharmacies:
- www.Curecog.com
- www.Pharmacystoresonline.com
- www.Careonlinestore.com
- www.yourphamacy.online
- www.MD724.com
- www.Greenleafdispensarystore.com
- www.Whatishydrocodone.weebly.com
- www.Orderpainkillersonline.com
- www.USAMedstores.com
If you recognize a site as one you have used, stop taking the medication immediately and contact your local DEA office to report the incident. You could also complete this online form and the DEA will contact you if they need any further information.
Shopping safety rules
We hate to be scammed when shopping online. It’s so disappointing to anticipate the arrival of an item only for it to be far less than we expected it to be when we received it. This scam is life-threatening!
Reports of people taking medications purchased online and suffering death by overdose are mounting. It’s for that reason the first rule of thumb is this: Only take prescription medications prescribed by a licensed medical provider and dispensed at a trusted, local pharmacy!
Here are some ways to determine whether or not an online pharmacy is illegitimate:
- Sells prescription drugs without requiring a valid prescription from a healthcare provider
- Offers heavily discounted prices than what is typically seen in the market
- Lists prices in a foreign currency
- Doesn’t contain proof of a valid pharmacy state license or DEA registration
- Medicine arrives in broken or damaged packaging or in a foreign language
- Medicine does not have an expiration date or is expired
- Medicine looks different from what you have received in the past from your trusted pharmacist
Because online pharmacies are all about making money for drug cartels, parents need to remain vigilant. Teens can easily purchase drugs from these sites as well.
The DEA exists to help maintain the health and safety of the American people. For more information, visit the DEA’s One Pill Can Kill resource page. Warn others about the dangers presented when purchasing medications from online pharmacies. The phrase, “better safe than sorry,” may never have carried more clout.
