A septuagenarian from Zurich has just been the victim of a fake pharmacist scam. Indeed, Georg W. suffers from sleep problems and takes medication prescribed by his doctor. But one day he receives an eye-catching email from an online pharmacy offering him an ideal solution for his situation. He then decides to try the adventure.
The retiree therefore responds positively to the e-mail. From there, everything goes very quickly, he tells “Blick”. He immediately receives a call from a suspected pharmacist, who addresses him “in perfect Zurich German”. “That’s why I trusted him,” says Georg W. who, as a result, ordered 30 tablets for a price of 50 euros. Without a prescription. Tablets that he pays for with a credit card.
Fatal error. When he checks his card statement, the septuagenarian notices with horror that an additional 5,000 francs have been taken from him. He therefore suspects that his data was recorded and reused after his purchase. Georg W. therefore immediately blocks his card. But he will not see the color of his 5000 francs again.
Worse: as the importation of the medicines ordered is prohibited, the senior now even risks criminal proceedings. The pseudo-pharmacist had of course not informed him of the illegality of his order.
Georg W. is annoyed by her naivety. “This mess is my fault and I am responsible for it myself.” His suffering was exploited mercilessly, he believes. The man now wants to use his story to warn other people. And advises: “Inform yourself well and don’t believe everything.”
Tips to be more careful
Buying online is convenient and comfortable. But there are risks. Mobilière therefore recommends making your purchases on well-known sites. If you don’t know the seller, start by looking at reviews from other buyers, she says. Caution must also be exercised when making online payments. The entire purchasing process must be carried out via a secure connection which can be recognized by the “https” which appears at the start of the browser address line. Check your account statements and credit card statements regularly. On the web, be wary of offers that seem too tempting. Does anything seem suspicious to you? Take screenshots to have proof in case of problems. And if so, block your credit card as quickly as possible.
