Protect Yourself When
Buying Medications Online

The most important step is to ensure you're buying from a legitimate, licensed online pharmacy. Here's how to verify:

• Check if the pharmacy is licensed by your state's Board of Pharmacy. Every legitimate pharmacy must hold a valid license in the state(s) where it operates.
• Look for the VIPPS (Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites) seal from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP). This seal indicates the pharmacy meets state and federal requirements.
• Verify the pharmacy on Safe.Pharmacy — a tool by NABP to check if an online pharmacy is legitimate.
• Confirm the pharmacy requires a valid prescription from a licensed healthcare provider for all prescription medications.
• Verify the pharmacy has a licensed pharmacist available to answer your questions. This is a legal requirement for all legitimate pharmacies.
• Check for a physical U.S. address and phone number. Call the number to verify it's active and staffed by real people.

Counterfeit medications can contain wrong ingredients, no active ingredients, or even toxic substances. Know the warning signs:

• Inspect the packaging carefully. Look for misspellings, blurry text, poor print quality, incorrect colors, or missing lot numbers and expiration dates.
• Check the pills or tablets. Compare them to images on the manufacturer's website or FDA's Pill Identifier. Look for unusual color, size, shape, texture, or smell.
• Verify the manufacturer. Research the listed manufacturer. Legitimate drug companies have professional websites with verifiable contact information.
• Check the seal. Legitimate medications come in tamper-proof packaging with intact seals. If the seal is broken or missing, do not use the medication.
• Be suspicious of unusual side effects. If a medication you've used before suddenly causes different or unexpected side effects, it may be counterfeit.
• Trust your instincts. If something seems off — taste, appearance, effectiveness, or packaging — stop using it and contact your pharmacist immediately.

Your health and financial data are extremely valuable to cybercriminals. Follow these steps to protect yourself:

• Only share personal information on secure websites. Look for "https://" in the URL and a padlock icon in the address bar before entering any data.
• Read the privacy policy. Legitimate pharmacies clearly explain how they collect, use, store, and protect your personal and health information.
• Never share your Social Security Number. No legitimate pharmacy will ever ask for your SSN. This is a clear sign of a scam.
• Use strong, unique passwords. Create complex passwords for your pharmacy accounts and never reuse passwords across multiple websites.
• Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) whenever available. This adds an extra layer of security to your account.
• Monitor your bank statements. Regularly check your credit card and bank statements for unauthorized charges after making online purchases.

Protect your finances by following these secure payment guidelines:

• Use credit cards instead of debit cards. Credit cards offer better fraud protection. Most credit card companies will reverse fraudulent charges, while recovering money from debit card fraud is much harder.
• Look for secure payment processing. Legitimate pharmacies use trusted payment processors like Stripe, PayPal, or Square. Look for their logos on the checkout page.
• Never wire money or use cryptocurrency to pay for medications. These payment methods are irreversible and are the preferred payment method of scammers.
• Be cautious of "cash only" or "money order only" requests. Legitimate online pharmacies accept standard payment methods like credit/debit cards.
• Save all transaction records. Keep copies of order confirmations, receipts, and shipping information for your records.

Your prescription is a vital medical document. Handle it with care:

• Always obtain a prescription from a licensed healthcare provider who has examined you in person or through a legitimate telemedicine consultation.
• Never share your prescription with others. Medications prescribed for you may be dangerous for someone else, even if they have similar symptoms.
• Be wary of "online doctors" who prescribe medications based solely on an online questionnaire without a proper medical examination or consultation.
• Verify your prescription details. When you receive your medication, check that the drug name, dosage, quantity, and directions match your prescription exactly.
• Report any discrepancies immediately. If your medication doesn't match your prescription, contact the pharmacy right away — do not take the medication.

Scammers use sophisticated techniques to trick you. Learn how to recognize common pharmacy scams:

• Phishing emails: Be cautious of emails claiming to be from pharmacies offering incredible deals. Don't click links — instead, go directly to the pharmacy's website by typing the URL.
• Social media ads: Be skeptical of social media advertisements for deeply discounted medications. Many of these lead to rogue pharmacy websites.
• Pop-up ads: Never buy medications through pop-up advertisements. These are almost always scams designed to steal your money and personal information.
• "Miracle cure" claims: If a website claims their medication can cure everything or offers results that seem too good to be true, it's almost certainly a scam.
• Urgency tactics: Be wary of websites that pressure you with "limited time offers" or "act now" language. Legitimate pharmacies don't use high-pressure sales tactics.

Your safety checks don't end at checkout. Verify your medication when it arrives:

• Inspect the package immediately. Check for damage, tampering, or signs that the package was opened during transit.
• Verify the medication details. Compare the drug name, dosage, manufacturer, lot number, and expiration date with your prescription and order confirmation.
• Check the physical appearance. Compare pills to images on the manufacturer's website. Note the color, shape, size, and any imprinted codes or letters.
• Read all included documentation. Review the medication guide, patient information sheet, and any safety warnings included with your medication.
• Store medications properly. Follow storage instructions on the label. Most medications should be stored at room temperature, away from moisture and direct sunlight.
• Report any issues immediately. If anything seems wrong — wrong medication, damaged packaging, unusual appearance — contact the pharmacy before using it.

If you encounter a rogue pharmacy or receive counterfeit medication, report it to protect yourself and others:

• FDA MedWatch: Report counterfeit medications or adverse reactions to the FDA's safety reporting program at fda.gov/safety/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
• DEA Diversion Control: Report illegal online pharmacy activity to the Drug Enforcement Administration at deadiversion.usdoj.gov.
• FTC (Federal Trade Commission): Report online pharmacy scams at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• NABP: Report rogue pharmacies to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy through their website at safe.pharmacy.
• IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center): Report internet-based fraud to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov.
• Your State Attorney General: File a complaint with your state's attorney general office for any fraudulent pharmacy practices in your state.