Hundreds of websites are selling fake Ozempic

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Oren Todoros

Oren is a cybersecurity and digital risk intelligence expert at BrandShield, focused on protecting organizations from online fraud, brand impersonation, and phishing attacks. He writes about emerging threats across digital ecosystems and strategies for proactive brand protection at scale.

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April 19, 2024

The rise in popularity of weight-loss and diabetes drugs like Ozempic (a GLP-1 medication) has led to a surge in counterfeit versions being sold online. Dr. Wharton, a Toronto-based obesity medicine specialist, notes that while counterfeiting is common with popular drugs, the scale of fake Ozempic is unprecedented.

BrandShield, a cybersecurity firm working with pharmaceutical companies, reported taking down over 250 fake Ozempic-selling websites and 1,600 fake online pharmacies in 2023—90% of which were pushing counterfeit GLP-1 drugs. Experts warn that counterfeit drugs are a growing threat, especially as demand for these “miracle” weight-loss treatments continues to skyrocket, driven in part by celebrity influence. While effective, doctors emphasize these drugs require long-term use and aren’t a simple solution for weight loss.

Read the full story on CBC news.

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