On Oct. 4, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration released a warning about an increase seen in illegal online pharmacies selling and shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting customers in the United States.
It noted customers believed they were purchasing real pharmaceutical drugs such as Oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax and other drugs from legitimate pharmacies.
The DEA identified websites operated in India and the Dominican Republic that purported to be “U.S.-based or U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved sites, but are actually working with drug traffickers to fulfill online orders with fake pill,” according to the agency.
The agency warned the websites go to great lengths to look legitimate, even offering 24-hour customer service and reviews.
“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,” the agency said in a public safety announcement. “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 agency has identified several websites for fake pharmacies:
— Curecog.com
— Pharmacystoresonline.com
— Careonlinestore.com
— yourphamacy.online
— MD724.com
— Greenleafdispensarystore.com
— Whatishydrocodone.weebly.com
— Orderpainkillersonline.com
— USAMedstores.com
The DEA recommended stopping use of any medication purchased from those websites and to contact your local DEA office or report it online at bit.ly/DEAreport.
The agency also has red flags consumers should look out for:
— Sells prescription drugs without requiring a valid prescription from a health care provider
— Offers much cheaper prices than what is typically seen in the market
— Lists prices in a foreign currency
— Does not 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
You can visit BBB.org to find local, trusted pharmacies and to check for BBB business profiles on pharmacies located within North America. You can also reach BBB serving Southeast Tennessee & Northwest Georgia’s team at 423-266-6144 or tngabbb@chattanooga.bbb.org.
SHRED DAY
Thank you again to BBB’s event partners for helping us host another highly successful Shred Day: Hamilton County Coalition, Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security, River City Shredding, Chattanooga Times Free Press, Coca-Cola Bottling Co., Cumulus Media Chattanooga and First Horizon Bank.
On Oct. 5, nearly 700 cars filled with local residents drove through our event to take be proactive in protecting their identity. Attendees dropped off more than 11 tons of paper to be shredded on site by River City Shredding. That’s a 5% increase over our fall 2023 event.
In addition, more than a ton of eWaste was collected by Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security. This keeps the electronics out of landfills, and they are recycled under full EPA compliance. These electronics include 172 hard drives that were dropped off for safe destruction. Hamilton County Coalition received more than 261 pounds of prescription medications for safe disposal.
BBB’s next Shred Day is scheduled for April 5 from 9 a.m. to noon in the parking lot of Coca-Cola Bottling Co., located at 2111 W. Shepherd Road in Chattanooga. (Location is near Exit 1A/Airport off Highway 153). For more information, call 423-266-6144, and select #6 from our menu options.
Michele Mason is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.