Increasing amounts of spam offering drugs to deal with bird flu have been
reported across the world's email systems.
Security firm Sophos is
reporting a large increase in emails offering online purchases of
Tamiflu, the drug
manufactured by Roche
that is the only known medicine for dealing with the human version of avian flu.
But according to Roche, which has investigated similar scams, it is unlikely
that the drugs on offer are real.
"Spammers are not interested in people's health, they're interested in making
fat profits," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos.
"Drugs like Tamiflu should be prescribed by legitimate doctors, not quacks on
the internet. Buying medicine online, from a website advertised by spam email,
is like playing Russian Roulette."
The British Medical
Association confirmed that it does not advise anyone to purchase drugs of
any type over the internet.
Do you agree?
Have your say on this article