Tips for fighting pharmacy spam
We’ve posted a few times about the problem of pharmacy spam. In response, we’ve gotten e-mails asking what can be done when you’re being bombarded by spam.
Spammers can obtain private information such as your name, e-mail and mailing address using a wide variety of viruses and spyware. When installing free programs downloaded from the Internet, you often unknowingly download these malicious programs.
Spyware watches the Web sites you visit and records and stores the personal information you type into forms. The companies that collect your information through spyware then sell it to others, including spammers.
CanadaDrugs.com, one of our member pharmacies, offers the following tips and resources for learning more about spyware, how to prevent it from being installed on your computer, and how to remove it:
- Visit Microsoft’s spyware Web site. Windows Defender is a free tool to help protect against some of the most malicious programs on the Internet. It updates itself for free and scans constantly for new threats. A more advanced alternative is Windows Live OneCare, which has more comprehensive scanning and virus removal capabilities. It’s not free but may still be worth the investment if you’re concerned about spam and spend a lot of time online.
- Talk to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). Find out whether, as part of your service with them, they have software available to scan for viruses and spyware installed on your computer.
- Talk to the company where you bought your computer. They might have additional products and services to help address concerns with your particular computer.
If you’re getting spam from online pharmacies, such as no prescription pharmacies, the FDA is interested in hearing about it. You can e-mail the FDA with your complaint at the following addresses:
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