According to most online resources and pharmacy guides one of the surest ways to identify a legal Internet drugstore from a fake one is to find out if it has a verifiable physical address. However, some fake pharmacies are able to get around this by just posting any address regardless whether it is their own or that of another business. It is not uncommon to find an abandoned warehouse or an unsuspecting homeowner as the recipient of complaints addressed to a fake pharmacy. Here is a guide that can teach consumers how to locate an online pharmacy to help them ensure its authenticity:

1.Use an online pharmacy database website or profiler.

The website PharmacyChecker.com is one such site that provides this service. It profiles and reviews online pharmacy websites so all the information you need, including contact details and addresses, are right here on the site. All you have to do is to search for the name of the online pharmacy you are thinking of using and its review is provided right away. Each online drugstore is reviewed in terms of customer service, kind of medications provided, how well it follows industry standards, and of course, whether it is legal or not. The PharmacyChecker website also provides a warning against online pharmacies that violate regulations so, if your chosen pharmacy appears on that list, beware.

2.Dial information and see if the provided phone numbers on the site match the address.

Operator assistance is available across the United States, so take advantage of this service. You can ask for operator assistance in identifying the address of a particular phone number or the phone number of an address. Do this to verify whether the number and the address provided by the online pharmacy on its website match and are authentic.

3.Call up customer service prior to ordering.

Do not limit your use of an online pharmacy's customer service staff to asking for price quotes on your prescriptions. You can also use customer service to verify the physical location of its office. You can also ask for directions on how to get there. If you know someone who lives near the pharmacy's general area like a relative or friend, you can ask them to verify if the directions or locations given to you are correct.

4.Search online for similar addresses or phone numbers.

If the online pharmacy you chose only copied the address of another business, there is a high likelihood that if you typed its address as a keyword in Google or another search engine, another business will also crop up in the results. The same goes for phone numbers.

5.Be wary of toll-free phone numbers.

While having toll-free phone numbers are convenient and ordinary options for businesses, it is also a double-edged sword for consumers. Using toll-free phone numbers in calling up customer service costs less or is free but there is no guarantee that your call is not forwarded to an offshore call center. Generally, it is more assuring if the online pharmacy also post a regular phone number. You can call this number up to verify whether it is indeed an office of the online pharmacy.