Purchasing medication and even filling prescriptions online can be a risky process, but the chances of being victimized can be greatly reduced by taking a few necessary precautions.

Avoid email scams
Try not to respond to email “spam.” But if you are inclined to do so, do your research to see how reputable the company is and make sure the email address is legitimate. Also check where the company is based and where the products are being shipped from. Steer clear of foreign-based companies.
Save all email correspondence until you have received your product and are satisfied.

Be website-wary
If you are dealing with a vendor on a website, look closely at the URL to check that it’s not a slight misspelling of a trusted company, created to fool you. Also, check that it starts with “https:” and has a padlock icon on the left.
It is also good practice to take a screencap of the webpage listing the product you’re buying. Press Help if you are unsure how to do this.

Minimize credit card risk
If you are using a credit card, use one with a low line of credit but enough to make the purchase.
If a purchase was made by mistake, contact your credit card company’s fraud and security department immediately. They will flag any unauthorized billings from that company.

And finally, review your credit card statements regularly to detect any inconsistencies.


THE DEPARTMENT OF THE PROSECUTING ATTORNEY
1060 Richards St., Honolulu HI 96813
808-768-7400 | Office hrs: Mon – Fri, 7:45 am – 4:30 pm
www.honoluluprosecutor.org/contact-us/