Alexander Novikov, Head of Research, Cyber Analytics and Development, T1 Group of Companies, said that in the past year, the number of fake sites under the guise of online pharmacies has more than doubled. reported that “Izvestia”.
According to the expert, only 14 such sources were recorded in the first half of 2021, and since the beginning of this year – already 32.
He noted that the schemes used by scammers can vary, but as a rule, they increase their resources to the top of the results by advertising on search engines.
“As a result, users see links to these resources before links to real pharmacy sites. Scammers can copy the code and interface of official networks or create their own sites that sell drugs,” he said.
He stated that after placing the order and paying, the goods did not reach the buyers and the “pharmacies” cut off communication.
According to drug market experts, the activation of fraudsters is associated with the serious increase in demand for the drug, which occurred in the first half of 2022, and the popularity of buying drugs on the Internet.
In an interview with the publication, Victoria Presnyakova, head of the Alliance of Pharmaceutical Associations, stated that in monetary terms alone, in the first quarter of this year, sales in pharmacies increased by 48% compared to the same period in 2021. At the same time, she added that the demand for drugs online is higher than offline.
Previously reportedMoscow police uncovered a network of pharmacies and hospitals selling discarded drugs for cancer and AIDS.