Prescription / Pharmacy Scam

Scammers on TikTok are advertising popular prescription weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro at discounted prices without requiring prescriptions, using fake testimonials, before-and-after photos, and positive reviews to lure vulnerable buyers. A joint investigation by the Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safe Web examined dozens of these TikTok profiles and found that nearly all of them were fraudulent schemes designed to steal money from consumers seeking affordable weight loss medication.

Ashley Lamb from the Area Agency on Aging presented information about the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, which has operated since 2003 under North Carolina's Department of Insurance. The program aims to empower seniors aged 60 and older and their caregivers to prevent healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse through education and outreach, utilizing trained SHIP volunteers to provide free counseling and assistance across a 10-county region.

A pharmacist fell victim to an elaborate impersonation scam when scammers spoofed the Ohio Board of Pharmacy's number, falsely claiming her license was linked to a narcotics investigation and threatening arrest unless she paid a $500,000 bond. Over three months, the scammers manipulated her into moving $500,000 of her savings and retirement funds into a "protected account" and taking out two additional loans totaling $250,000, all of which went directly to the fraudsters. The article notes that scams are rising nationally, with Americans losing over $159 billion in 2023, and that professionals with specialized licenses and higher incomes—such as pharmacists

**Summary:** A free educational program titled "Medicare 101" is being offered on April 25 at the Haywood County Senior Resource Center in Waynesville, hosted by certified counselor John Chicoine. The presentation covers Medicare basics, supplements, Advantage plans, prescription plans, and includes information about Medicare scams to help those approaching Medicare age navigate their options.

A University of Michigan poll of 3,379 adults over 50 conducted in February-March 2024 found that five of the six most pressing health-related concerns for older Americans centered on costs: medical care (56%), assisted living (56%), prescription medicines (54%), health insurance/Medicare (52%), and dental care (45%), with financial scams and fraud (53%) rounding out the top concerns. These worries were consistent across all demographic groups regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, region, or income level, highlighting healthcare affordability as a critical issue for millions of seniors and their families.

A joint investigation uncovered at least sixty scam operators on TikTok impersonating pharmacies and medical professionals to defraud Americans seeking Ozempic and other weight loss drugs, collecting hundreds of dollars per victim before failing to deliver the products. The scammers exploit TikTok's algorithms, which recommend weight loss drug sellers to users and facilitate connections between bad actors and vulnerable consumers, using payment apps like Zelle and Venmo to make refunds difficult. The investigation also found that nearly half of Americans using these drugs acquired them without prescriptions, highlighting both the prevalence of scams and the broader problem of illegal drug distribution on social media platforms.

Scammers on TikTok are posing as legitimate pharmacies to sell popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro without prescriptions at lower prices, using fake testimonials and before-and-after photos to lure vulnerable buyers. A joint investigation by Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safer Web found dozens of such scam accounts that accepted payments through Zelle, PayPal, and Venmo but never delivered products, exposing victims to fraud, counterfeit drugs, or dangerous unsupervised medication use. Both the drug manufacturers and TikTok have responded by emphasizing that these medications require prescriptions and medical supervision,

A joint investigation by Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safer Web found that scammers are using TikTok to fraudulently sell prescription weight loss drugs at discounted prices, with nearly all examined profiles operating as scams. The investigation identified dozens of fake profiles exploiting consumer demand for affordable weight loss medications through deceptive online sales tactics.

Scammers on TikTok have been targeting consumers seeking weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy by offering discounted prices without prescriptions, with a joint investigation by Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safer Web finding that nearly every transaction examined from February through April was fraudulent. The scammers used fake testimonials and before-and-after photos to lure vulnerable buyers, accepting payments through services like Zelle, PayPal, and Venmo but never delivering products. Researchers warned that victims face multiple harms including financial fraud, counterfeit drugs, or dangerous use of real medications without medical supervision.

Losses from scams targeting adults age 60 and older reached $3.4 billion last year—an 11% increase from the prior year—with an average loss of $33,915 per victim, according to FBI data. Older adults are frequently targeted through tech support scams, personal data breaches, and romance scams because they often have substantial assets and may be more trusting and less likely to report fraud. Experts recommend protective measures including strong data hygiene practices, using credit cards for online purchases, verifying unsolicited communications directly with trusted sources, establishing account oversight with multiple trusted contacts, and fostering open conversations about scams to reduce shame and encourage reporting.