Blog Articles

In this digital age, an ever-increasing number of people are seeking love and companionship by venturing into online dating websites, mobile apps, online classified listings, and social media platforms. Unfortunately, the cyber world is also fraught with opportunistic criminals who are looking to prey on the heartstrings of hopeful victims. The Federal Trade Commission recently…

In the midst of a natural disaster or other large crisis, scammers inevitably take advantage of the spike in public goodwill and the influx of genuine fundraising and charity websites. LegitScript has observed this to be true in the midst of the health and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These scammers may pose as…

With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping across the globe, the payments and e-commerce landscapes are especially vulnerable right now to scammers preying on consumers with fake cures, unapproved treatments, and other unconventional products and services to treat the new coronavirus. These scams are not only detrimental to public health but also pose serious risks of chargebacks…

As the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus spreads, opportunistic scammers have begun taking advantage of panicked consumers through price gouging on basic healthcare products, such as hand sanitizer, face masks, and toilet paper. Many online merchants are now offering these products at drastic markups, ranging from three small bottles of hand sanitizer for $60…

LegitScript has been proactively monitoring the online space in response to the outbreak of the virus SARS-CoV-2, which causes COVID-19, and has identified an increasing trend in the marketing of coronavirus-related products that present an elevated risk to consumers, payment service providers, and e-commerce platforms. In particular, the severe shortage of diagnostic kits to test…

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced Monday seven warning letters they issued jointly to business owners making potentially problematic claims that their products can treat or prevent the new coronavirus. These letters appear to reflect aggressive action by the federal agencies to stop businesses capitalizing on COVID-19 fears…

The US Department of Justice announced recently that North Carolina resident Barry Clint Wright was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in the online sale of 2,4-Dinitrophenol (DNP), a substance abused by bodybuilders and other people for weight-loss purposes. Wright, 38, received the maximum statutory sentence for introducing an unapproved drug…

We’re pleased to announce that Chemist-4-U, LegitScript’s first probationary-certified company, has now earned full certification. The change in status occurred early in the new year and is a reflection of about two years in which the online pharmacy has remained in compliance with LegitScript’s certification standards. Probationary certification is for applicants who have had past…

As part of our mission to help create an internet everyone can trust, LegitScript regularly reports “rogue” internet pharmacies to the registrars that sponsor these domain names. In 2019, LegitScript issued 63 notifications comprising 7,083 domain names. This complimentary notification service helps registrars take action against illicit operators and helps prevent the public from buying…

Intellectual property infringement made news last month with noteworthy enforcement and legal actions in the United States and beyond. First, a US federal complaint described an international counterfeiting ring that smuggled $472 million worth of counterfeit sneakers into the country. Then, Europol announced it had shut down more than 30,000 websites for selling fake or…

As of early December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 48 deaths and nearly 2,300 hospitalizations associated with e-cigarettes and vaping. While the CDC has identified many brands responsible for the outbreak, there is still considerable uncertainty about what substance in vaping products is causing these illnesses. New research has left…

Etizolam, also known as thienodiazepine, is related to a class of substances known as benzodiazepines. Typically sold in a powder or tablet form, etizolam has gained prominence in the illicit drug market in recent years due to its similarity to other popular benzodiazepines, or “benzos,” such as Xanax and Valium. Etizolam was originally developed for…

Ear candling, also referred to as “coning,” is a popular practice believed to draw wax and other impurities out of the ear. Despite their widespread availability, these products are unapproved medical devices that can leave both consumers and payment service providers burned. Read on to find out what these products are and the regulatory framework…

Nitrous oxide, a colorless and odorless gas, is becoming increasingly popular around the world as a party drug that goes by many names – “laughing gas,” “hippy crack,” and “whippets,” among others. LegitScript has noticed a growing trend of nitrous oxide appearing on websites and e-commerce platforms, being marketed in ways that indicate use for…

In a cautious win for off-label prescribing, one of the world’s most commonly used drugs for more than 50 years has recently evolved into what can only be described as a phenomenon in the treatment of severe depression and suicidal ideation. Ketamine – a psychoactive analgesic (pain-blocking) sedative – is considered by many in the…