CVS Pharmacist Catches Prescription Fraud

A CVS pharmacist’s keen eye caught 2 men allegedly trying to pass off fake prescriptions, which led to their arrests.

Danny Garcia, 30, and Adnan Mahmood, 25, arrived at a CVS pharmacy in Wilton Center, Connecticut, on June 18, 2015. One of the men allegedly tried to use a fraudulent prescription for 30 mg of oxycodone, while the other tried to use a fake slip for prescription-strength ibuprofen, according to The Wilton Bulletin.

Recognizing that the prescriptions did not have Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration numbers, the pharmacist called the doctor listed on the slips, who told the pharmacist not to fill the prescriptions.

The pharmacist told the 2 men to come back to the pharmacy later, then called the police. When the men called back to inquire about the prescriptions, the pharmacist said they could come pick them up.

Upon arrival, the police arrested the men for forgery and conspiracy. Garcia was also charged with larceny for having a fake prescription pad. Both men were held on a $5000 bond, according to The Wilton Bulletin.

In addition to knowing the prescriber’s DEA registration number, the DEA’s Office of Diversion Control recommends that pharmacists help prevent prescription fraud by getting to know the pharmacy’s patients, as well as their prescribers’ signatures. Pharmacists can also check the date on the prescriptions to ensure that they have been “presented in a reasonable length of time since being issued by the prescriber,” the DEA advises.