FTC FACTS for Consumers

FOR THE CONSUMER 1-877-FTC-HELP

ftc.gov FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION

Your Health Online

G oing online can be a convenient way to compare prescription drug prices, research health products and services, answer health questions, or do 

some research ahead of your next medical appointment. 

If you’ve spent much time searching or shopping online, you may already know 

the usual precautions to take — like making sure you have up-to-date security 

software on your computer (if not, read 7 Practices for Computer Security at 

onguardonline.gov). When you take your health online, the same rules apply, and so 

do a few others. 

OnGuard Online has these tips for being smart and safe when dealing with health 

information and health care products online:

Know who’s on the other end. Before you hand over any personal or financial 

information, whether to buy something or just get “more information,” remember: 

anyone can set up shop online under almost any name. If you’re thinking about 

buying a heath–related product from an unfamiliar company or website, do some 

research:
Facts for Consumers 

• Confirm the online seller’s physical 

address (not just a P.O. Box) and 

phone number, so you know you can 

reach someone if you need to. 

• Do a search for the company name and 

website, and be sure to look past the 

first page of results. If you find a lot 

of negative reviews, you may be better 

off taking your business elsewhere. 

• Check with the local Better Business 

Bureau (BBB) where the seller is 

based to see if it has a report on the 

company. And if you see a BBB logo 

on the site, check that it links back 

to the BBB site. Also, read logos and 

websites carefully. Some companies 

want to trade on the reputation of the 

BBB or other trusted organizations, 

and either misuse logos, or create 

lookalike logos, seals, and websites. 

• Look for indicators the site is secure, 

like a lock icon on the browser’s 

status bar or a url that begins with 

“https” (the “s” stands for “secure”). 

But also know that security icons can 

be forged, so they aren’t foolproof. 

Avoid sites that ask you to give out 

personal or financial information over 

email, or ask you to wire cash.

Consider the source. When you’re 

looking for health information online, it’s 

easy to get a lot of misinformation along 

the way. Instead of a random search, 

try starting with trusted sources. Two 

great choices are MedlinePlus 

(medlineplus.gov) and Healthfinder.gov 

(healthfinder.gov), government websites 

that let you look up hundreds of health 

topics and the latest health headlines. 

Wherever you start your health search, 

always consider who’s behind the 

information. Government websites (sites 

ending in .gov) are a good bet. So are 

university or medical school websites 

(.edu) and sites for trusted, nationally 

recognized health or research facilities, 

like the Mayo Clinic. Not-for-profit groups 

with a mission that focuses on research 

and teaching the public about specific 

conditions (whose sites typically end in 

.org) can also be good resources, but keep 

in mind that “.org” doesn’t guarantee a 

site is reputable. Scammers can set up 

bogus .org sites. 

Only buy prescription drugs from 

licensed U.S. pharmacies. What looks 

like an online pharmacy could be a front 

for a scammer or identity thief. The sites 

may use official looking seals and logos, 

promise money back guarantees, and 

“look” legitimate, but all of that can be 

faked. You could end up with products 

that are fake, expired, mislabeled, or the 

wrong dosage. They could even contain 

dangerous ingredients. Or, you might pay 

for a prescription and never get your order 

— or your money — back. 

So how can you tell if you’re dealing with 

a legitimate U.S. pharmacy? To see if a 

pharmacy is licensed in the U.S., check 
Facts for Consumers

with the state board of pharmacy where 

it’s based. The National Association of 

Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) at nabp.info

has information on each state’s board. 

NABP also has a list of online pharmacies 

that meet extra NABP criteria and have 

been accredited through its Verified 

Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites (VIPPS) 

program. Reputable pharmacy websites 

also should require a prescription, have a 

licensed pharmacist to answer questions, 

and provide a physical business address 

and phone number. 

Talk to your doctor or health 

professional. As you look for answers 

to your health questions, you might 

come across websites or ads for pills or 

other products that make some pretty big 

promises. They may say their product 

will cure a serious condition like arthritis, 

diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple 

sclerosis, cancer, or HIV-AIDS, or 

that one product will cure a range of 

conditions. Or, the ad might just be for 

a weight loss pill that says you can lose 

weight without exercising or changing how 

you eat. 

The products may be called “scientific 

breakthroughs” or “ancient remedies,” or 

the ads may use scientific-sounding words 

like “thermogenesis,” or safe-sounding 

words like “natural.” Scammers can be 

creative. But the reality is that most of 

these products are useless, and at best 

a waste of money. Others are flat-out 

dangerous to your health. 

Don’t trust a website just because it looks 

professional or has success stories from 

“real people.” The stories may be made 

up, or the people may be actors or models 

paid to praise the product. Instead, before 

you think about trying a health product, 

ask your doctor about it. Your doctor can 

tell you about the risks of a product, as 

well as how it could affect any medicine 

you’re taking or treatments you’re getting.

For more on health from the FTC, visit 

ftc.gov/health.

How to Report if You’ve Been a Victim of an

Online Fraud

If you think you may be a victim of 

fraud, file a complaint with the FTC at 

ftc.gov/complaint. You also can file a 

complaint with:

• The attorney general’s office in your 

state. Find yours at naag.org.

• Your county or state consumer 

protection agency. Check the blue 

pages of the phone book under county 

and state government, or visit 

consumeraction.gov, and look under 

“Where to File a Complaint.”

• The Better Business Bureau at 

bbb.org.

• Econsumer.gov, where you can report 

complaints about online and related 

transactions with foreign companies.
Facts for Consumers

1-877-FTC-HELP FOR THE CONSUMER

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION ftc.gov

April 2009

Federal Trade Commission

Bureau of Consumer Protection

Division of Consumer and Business Education

Report problems with a medication or 

medical device to the FDA at www.fda.

gov/opacom/backgrounders/problem.html.

For More Information

The FTC works for the consumer to 

prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair 

business practices in the marketplace and 

to provide information to help consumers 

spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a 

complaint or to get free information on 

consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call tollfree, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); 

TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters 

consumer complaints into the Consumer 

Sentinel Network, a secure online database 

and investigative tool used by hundreds 

of civil and criminal law enforcement 

agencies in the U.S. and abroad.