As prescription medication addiction grows more prevalent each
year, law enforcement agencies throughout the country are cracking down on all
types of prescription drug abuse and fraud.
Prescription fraud occurs when a
person uses unlawful means to take, obtain, or attempt to take or obtain a
controlled substance or a prescription for a controlled substance. (NRS 453.391) While most people begin taking prescription medications at
the direction of a doctor for a specific medical purpose, many of these drugs
are highly addictive.
Some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs include:
- Xanax
- Valium
- Ambien
- Oxycodone
- Codeine
- Demerol
- Ritalin
- Adderall
Common Types of Prescription Fraud
One of the most common methods of illegally obtaining
prescriptions is doctor shopping. Doctor shopping involves visiting numerous
doctors at various offices and clinics to get more prescriptions. The patient
visits the offices seeking treatment for a condition, but fails to tell each
doctor that they have already received prescriptions from other physicians.
In addition to doctor shopping, prescription fraud includes:
- Stealing a physician’s pad and forging prescriptions
- Altering a legitimate prescription to increase the quantity
- Obtaining drugs by using a family member’s or friend’s prescription
- Illegally buying prescription drugs online
- Using computer programs to create fake prescriptions
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