With the rising cost of prescription medications and the ongoing question of health care, it is no wonder that more and more people have turned to various web sites to buy their maintenance drugs at a lower cost than what they would pay in the local pharmacy. But, as is the case with anything else, that increased business means that there is also a higher risk of unscrupulous business practices and scammers that are looking to take advantage of the situation.

First, the scammers and their new scam: by tracking prescription drug site, these criminals get information for customers and then target them with a message that the "Drug Enforcement Agency" has been tracking them and that they need to pay to prevent prosecution. Most people do not fall for the scam, but a shocking number of people have. The DEA addressed the scam saying that if anyone had recently bought prescription medications and received such a phone call or email to disregard it.

Also, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University, one in every three online searches for prescription drugs did not send people to legitimate sites but rather redirected them to places where illegal prescriptions were sold. Those sites did not follow any kind of ethical standard, according to the study, often sending the wrong dosage or the wrong pills altogether. Many of the sites would bill the credit card and never send anything at all.

In addition, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of counterfeit drugs, most without any kind of active ingredient in them at all. That could put people with serious health conditions at great danger and could even lead to death if the wrong drug is given.

Experts warn that while most of these sites are pretty slick, there are ways to spot out the fakes from the real deal. Be wary of any web site that offers medications, especially popular, name brand medications, at deeply discounted prices far below what the local pharmacy is charging. Also, sites that say that no prescription is required is a major red flag. Even when you are buying medications online you should have to have one. If you are unfamiliar with the names of the pills are listed, check to see if they are FDA approved. Many of them are not. Steer clear of web sites that list only foreign contact information or worse, have no contact info at all. Finally, never use any medications that arrive in altered or opened containers or that do not look like your usual medication. Even if the company will not refund your money, it is better to be out a few bucks than to risk your health.