{"id":13990,"date":"2016-12-19T14:46:29","date_gmt":"2013-12-19T21:46:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.accessrx.com\/blog\/?p=13990"},"modified":"2013-12-19T14:46:29","modified_gmt":"2013-12-19T21:46:29","slug":"fda-scammers-l1219","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.edrugstore.com\/blog\/current-health-news\/fda-scammers-l1219\/","title":{"rendered":"Scammers Pose as FDA Agents To Get Money and Personal Info"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"The
The more you know about scams, the better protection you can put in place.<\/figcaption><\/figure> The FDA is teaming up with law enforcement officers to crack down on a new scam that targets online pharmacy clients. The scammers are posing as FDA officials in an attempt to get money and steal a person’s identity, says an FDA press release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

How the scam works<\/strong><\/p>\n

The FDA says crooks are making calls to people who purchase medications online and telling them that buying pills online is illegal. Then they threaten the caller, saying that failure to pay a fine will result in an arrest, deportation or physical harm.<\/p>\n

Some scammers even search the Internet to find the names of FDA employees. Philip Walsky, special agent in charge at FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, says some of the scammers have a “veneer of legitimacy.”<\/p>\n

In some cases, victims feel scared enough to wire money to the criminal or reveal vital personal information that can lead to identity theft.<\/p>\n

Take the proper precautions<\/strong><\/p>\n

While law enforcement officials are working to catch these scammers, they are hard to find. Many live overseas and move around to avoid detection. The FDA believes this kind of scam will continue and is working to education the public.<\/p>\n

Here are a few safety tips:<\/p>\n

Hang up if the call seems odd to you<\/strong><\/p>\n

If your radar tells you something is wrong, it probably is. Walsky says consumers should hang up the phone immediately if they suspect a scammer is on the other end of the line.<\/p>\n

\"No
No FDA official will call and ask you to wire money or threaten you.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

FDA officials won’t demand money<\/strong><\/p>\n

No federal official will ever contact a consumer by phone and demand money or any other form of payment, and they certainly wouldn’t threaten to hurt you, Walsky says. If you hear any of these threats, you know it’s a scam.<\/p>\n

Find trustworthy sites<\/strong><\/p>\n

In some cases, the crooks are getting client information from sites that are selling rouge medications. To ensure your identity is safe, use a reputable online facilitator to purchase prescription medication.<\/p>\n

eDrugstore.com has written several posts to help customers find legitimate prescription sites<\/a>. Many of the tips offered by eDrugstore.com coincide with the FDA’s tips to find a trustworthy site. Those tips including making sure the prescription website:<\/p>\n