CONSUMER ALERT: Granite Staters Warned About Dangers of Counterfeit Medicines and Illegal Online Pharmacies

Concord, NH - Attorney General John M. Formella is warning New Hampshire residents about the growing danger of counterfeit and substandard medicines sold through illegal online pharmacies. As more consumers turn to the internet to buy prescription drugs, drawn by convenience and lower prices, criminals are flooding the market with fake medications that may contain the wrong ingredients, dangerous contaminants, or deadly substances such as fentanyl. These counterfeits span the full range of medicines, from weight-loss and diabetes drugs (such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, and Zepbound) to cancer treatments, injectables like Botox, and everyday prescriptions.

"Protecting the health and safety of Granite Staters is one of my office's highest priorities," said Attorney General Formella. "Counterfeit medicines are not a distant problem, they are reaching consumers right here in New Hampshire through professional-looking websites that are anything but legitimate. I urge every resident to verify before they buy, and to treat prices that seem too good to be true as exactly that."

A Fast-Growing Threat
Illegal online drug sellers are a large and growing danger to public health:
• Of the roughly 35,000 online pharmacies operating worldwide, about 95% operate illegally, and fewer than 4% comply with U.S. laws and pharmacy standards, according to the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
• The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has warned that illegal online pharmacies are shipping counterfeit pills made with fentanyl and methamphetamine to unsuspecting American consumers who believe they are buying legitimate medications.
• Counterfeiters target every category of medicine, including life-saving cancer drugs, GLP-1s, and even everyday prescriptions.

How to Protect Yourself
• Only use a pharmacy recommended by your doctor, insurer, or local pharmacist, and make sure a valid prescription and a licensed pharmacist are required.
• Check any website before you buy using NABP's free Safe Site Search tool at safe.pharmacy, which flags more than 40,000 "Not Recommended" sites. Look for the verified .pharmacy web address, a signal of legitimacy that cannot be faked.
• Review the FDA's BeSafeRx resources for buying prescription medicine online safely.
• Confirm that any mail-order or non-resident pharmacy is registered with the New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification (Board of Pharmacy).
• Learn more about the deadly risk of counterfeit pills through the DEA's One Pill Can Kill campaign.

Report a Problem: Report suspicious websites or suspected counterfeits to the FDA (report unlawful sales) and through safe.pharmacy.

The New Hampshire Department of Justice Consumer Protection and Antitrust Bureau investigates unfair, deceptive, or unreasonable practices involving New Hampshire consumers. To file a complaint with the New Hampshire Department of Justice, visit https://www.doj.nh.gov/consumer/complaints.

Know the Warning Signs

Consumers should be cautious of any online pharmacy that shows the following red flags: