As Americans increasingly turn to online pharmacies to purchase necessary medications, United States’ Drug Enforcement Administration has issued a ‘Public Safety Alert’ to warn of an increase in illegal online, often foreign-based websites that are deceptively targeting American consumers.
The DEA has seen an increase in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting customers in the U.S. who believe they are purchasing real pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax, and other drugs from legitimate pharmacies.
DEA has identified websites being operated in India and the Dominican Republic. Many of these sites purport to be legitimate, U.S. based or FDA approved sites, but are actually working with drug traffickers to fulfill online orders with fake pills.
These website operators are going to great lengths to make the websites look like legitimate online pharmacies – they offer 24-hour customer service, post online reviews and safety facts, and offer deep discounts to deceive customers into believing they were buying from a reputable business.
Often these illegal, online websites use U.S. website addresses and professional-looking designs to appear legitimate when, in fact, they are not.
These companies operate illegally, deliberately deceiving American customers into believing they are purchasing safe, regulated medications when they are actually selling fake, counterfeit pills made with fentanyl or methamphetamine.
Fake medications can lead to serious health risks, including harmful side effects, ineffective treatment, and even death.
During Operation Press Your Luck, announced on Monday, September 30, 2024, DEA discovered that a U.S.-based victim had ordered what she believed to be oxycodone from an online pharmacy, only to receive a fake pill made with fentanyl.
The pill looked identical to a real oxycodone, but it was not – it was made with fentanyl and filler. Days after receiving the medication, the victim passed away from acute fentanyl poisoning as a result of taking one of the pills sent to her.
The DEA has identified 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 as fake pharmacies in a recent criminal investigation.
