Beware of FDA "Special Agents," At Least When They Call on the Phone

For those adamantly opposed to the burgeoning market for purchasing meds over the Internet, here is more fodder for your arguments: FDA has issued a warning that cybercriminals posing as FDA "special agents" are contacting people that have purchased drugs online, and targeting them with the following scam:

The callers identify themselves as FDA special agents who are cracking down on what they say is illegal purchasing of drugs over the Internet or through "telepharmacies." They then demand that their intended victims pay fines, via wire transfer (often to the Dominican Republic), to avoid prosecution. If the targeted victim refuses, the caller may make additional threats in order to force victims to acquiesce.

I'm sure anyone involved in regulatory issues at your firm has said in jest, following a site visit from the Agency, "Was that really an FDA official, or an impersonator?" All joking aside, this latest scam is a case where the impersonating that is being done is real.

--Paul Thomas