Cyber-criminals cashing in with online pharmacies

From: http://technology.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/tech_and_web/article6935651.ece

Thousands of Britons are putting their health and bank accounts at risk by going online to buy drugs from bogus internet pharmacies run by Russian cyber-criminals, according to a new report.

Despite repeated warnings, people eager to protect themselves against a range of diseases, such as swine flu, are shopping at fake online pharmacies with names such as Canadian Pharmacy or European Pharmacy.

The sites, which even carry forged copies of certificates supposedly guaranteeing their authenticity, are run by Russian criminal gangs that are making millions by flooding the internet with billions of spam messages selling drugs including Tamiflu and Viagra.

Those who are tempted by the offers of cheap drugs risk receiving potentially harmful prescriptions and could be putting their credit card and other personal details in the hands of conmen, according to an investigation by Sophos, an internet security company.



Research by Sophos into one criminal network found that fears over the spread of swine flu has sent demand for Tamiflu soaring in the US, Germany, the UK, Canada and France.

The Department of Health has said that more than three million healthy British children will be offered vaccinations against swine flu after a “striking rise” in the number of under-fives requiring hospital treatment.

However, the deaths of 214 people in Britain have been connected with the virus. Graham Cluley, of Sophos, said: “It is essential that we all resist the panic-induced temptation to purchase Tamiflu online. The criminal gangs working behind the scenes at fake internet pharmacies are putting their customers’ health, personal information and credit card details at risk.

“They have no problem breaking the law by spamming millions of people to promote these websites, so you can be sure they’ll have no qualms in exploiting your confidential data or selling you medications, which may put your life in danger. If you think you need medication go to your real doctor and stay away from quacks on the internet,” he added.

Sophos found that criminal networks of marketing “affiliates” or “partnerka” were driving online shoppers to virtual pharmacies in return for a share of the profits. Investigators believe tens of thousands of fraudsters, mostly based in Russia, are promoting the illegal goods with millions of spam messages and malicious software programmes.

The partnerka operate as well-run businesses. Organisers are known to put on expensive parties for their members, send generous gifts and even run lotteries in which the top producer wins a luxury car.

Sophos’s research discovered that in one of the most well-established affiliate networks operating out of Russia, called Glavmed, affiliate members can make $16,000 a day promoting pharmaceutical websites giving them potential annual earnings of £5.8 million. The criminals can be members of more than one affiliate network and some have boasted of earning more than $100,000 a day. Glavmed is associated with more than 120,000 fake drug websites, the majority branded “Canadian Pharmacy”, taking advantage of Canada’s reputation in the US, the biggest market for online medications, for cheap prescription drugs.

Criminals also infect computers with software that directs those searching for Tamiflu on search engines to the fake sites. Other techniques include inserting spam comments in blogs and on social networks. Those who do order Tamiflu or other drugs from these sites often receive nothing.

However, those who see their orders filled run an additional risk. When security researchers at Cisco’s IronPort ordered pills and had them analysed they found that two thirds of the shipments, which came from India, contained the correct active ingredient but in the wrong dosages, others were placebos. “Consumers take a significant risk of ingesting an uncontrolled substance from overseas distributors,” the researchers said.

The new warning came after hundreds of websites were shut down last week for selling fake or illicit drugs around the world. Interpol and the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency co-ordinated raids in 24 countries, confiscating thousands of orders linked to more than 750 illegal websites.

A Department of Health spokesman said: “There is no need to pay for antivirals. They are free on the NHS and being offered to all who need them. Anyone who buys medicines from internet sites could be in danger of receiving counterfeit or substandard medicines.”

• There are more than 200 genuine online pharmacies in Canada, which has a reputation for providing cheap, safe medications. Consumers should only use an online pharmacy if it is licensed, offers security and privacy of information, provides an address and phone number, requires a valid prescription and medical data.