Scam WikiPharmacy Site Illegally Peddling Prescription Drugs–What’s Next?

Rogue online pharmacies selling medications at super discounted prices aren't anything new. But the scammers behind the WikiPharmacy site are going at it in a smarter way by playing off of the reliability and prominence of the 'Wiki' brand, thanks to Wikipedia.

The scam begins with an email spam campaign that eventually redirects victims to the bogus online pharmacy. WikiPharmacy has hundreds of prescription drugs listed on its storefront, including Viagra, Amoxicillin, Prozac, Human Growth Hormone, and Cialis.

Unsurprisingly, most of the drugs are related to sex-related disorders like erectile dysfunction and impotence. Other listings on the site include widely-used and well-known antibiotics, anti-obesity drugs, and antidepressants.

The scam begins with spam messages that replicate Wikipedia's email address confirmation alert emails, which reads: "Someone (probably you, from IP address) requested a reminder of your account details for Wikipdia." If you happen to have a Wikipedia account and know for a fact that you didn't send out a request, then you'll probably be quick to click on the 'cancel request' link that follows in the next line of the message.

Clicking on the link will direct you to WikiPharmacy's storefront, which has been modeled to look like Wikipedia's homepage. But instead of encyclopedia articles and random factoids, you'll be presented with a generous spread of medications instead.

This company's website contains the BBB Torch Logo and a BBB Business Review that is false. The business is not a member of this BBB and our policies prohibit such a reference.

-- BBB on WikiPharmacy

Once again, a reminder: if you get unsolicited requests and suspicious emails, don't click on any links in the message and trash it right away.