The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has issued a stark warning to consumers about the growing threat of illegal online pharmacies selling counterfeit pills made with dangerous substances like fentanyl and methamphetamine. This alert follows the death of an individual who believed she was purchasing oxycodone online, only to unknowingly consume a counterfeit pill made with lethal fentanyl.

The rise in illegal online pharmacies comes as more Americans are turning to the internet to buy medications. In response, the DEA has reported a surge in these counterfeit pills being sold and shipped to unsuspecting customers in the United States. These consumers believe they are buying legitimate pharmaceutical drugs such as oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax, and others, but are instead receiving fake pills made with fentanyl or methamphetamine, reports The Center Square.

The DEA issued a Public Safety Alert to highlight the growing presence of illegal online pharmacies, often foreign-based, that are targeting American consumers. These counterfeit drugs are often sold on websites that appear to be legitimate and U.S.-based, but are instead operated by drug traffickers who ship fake pills to the United States.

Many of these websites are run from countries like India and the Dominican Republic, with the sites deliberately designed to appear professional and trustworthy. The DEA noted that these websites often offer 24-hour customer service, post fake reviews, and promote deep discounts to create the illusion of being a legitimate business.

“Many of these sites purport to be legitimate, U.S.-based or FDA-approved sites, but are actually working with drug traffickers to fulfill online orders with fake pills,” the DEA warned in a recent statement. “These companies operate illegally, deliberately deceiving American customers into believing they are purchasing safe, regulated medications when they are actually selling fake, counterfeit pills made with fentanyl or methamphetamine.”

One tragic case highlighted by the DEA involved a U.S.-based buyer who purchased what she thought was oxycodone from an online pharmacy. The pill she received looked identical to a real oxycodone tablet, but it was laced with fentanyl. Shortly after taking the counterfeit medication, the buyer died from acute fentanyl poisoning.