Today it is estimated that counterfeit versions of more than 800 pharmaceutical drugs are circulating in the global black market — and many are being sold on the internet. Rx-Promotion and SpamIt probably are responsible for upward of 50 or 60 percent of spam emails circulating over the last 5 or 6 years, selling you drugs from countries like Russia.
The vast majority of black market pharmacy customers are ordering erectile dysfunction drugs; others order painkillers or stimulants for recreational use. Additionally, up to 15 percent of orders come from people seeking medications to treat chronic health conditions, likely because they can’t afford to purchase them legally.
Who’s Crazy Enough to Buy Black Market Prescription Drugs?
While purchasing prescription-free medications is a tempting option for many — especially when the medications are so cheap — it’s very risky, not to mention illegal. Most order medications like Viagra from the black market, either to avoid the embarrassment of talking to a doctor about erectile dysfunction or to keep a secret from a spouse. But how legitimate are these medications? A study that placed 800 test orders to these spam companies found that the orders always showed up and that the meds contain the proper amount of active ingredients, so that’s somewhat reassuring. However, the Food and Drug Administration says Americans should only order from sites that are licensed and located in the U.S., since there may not otherwise be proper oversight or quality control for the medications.
What Are the Consequences?
What’s scary is that — if you’ve ever used black market pharmacy services via clicking a link from a spammy email — your personal information may no longer be safe. Hackers have accessed information such as bank account and credit card numbers and other viable info from individuals buying Vicodin, Viagra, and the like from online black market pharmacy companies.
These emails interestingly don’t seem to take you to sketchy websites that drown your computer in malware, but do in fact take you to a pharmacy website where you can order medications. Rogue pharmacies place your order and get you the drugs; they employ spammers — independent contractors who make a commission (about 20-40 percent) off of referrals. Skilled spammers create phony email addresses and craft catchy subject lines that attempt to break through spam filters. The drug suppliers contract with third parties who direct drug manufacturing in foreign countries like India. The packaging may often seem unconventional, if suspicious-looking and covered in a foreign print. Once customers stop ordering drugs, they are often harassed aggressively by pharmacies via phone or email in attempts to generate more sales.
What’s more alarming is that — as a result of many turning to the black market to get expensive medications for cheap — the pharmaceutical industry is losing money. This financial pressure could cause only higher drug prices, more black market business, and a vicious cycle of risky drug purchases and spam emails.
