Fake Phentermine

Fake Phentermine

Fake pharmaceuticals are a frighteningly big industry.

Up to 10% of medicines sold worldwide are counterfeit, with significantly higher percentages of fake or substandard pharmaceuticals being sold in low- and middle-income countries ( 1 ).

Phentermine is one of the most commonly counterfeited medications (2).

In the United States, most people come across fake or counterfeit medications when they purchase online from unverified vendors or outside of regular channels ( 1 ). Unfortunately, intentionally misleading advertising and carefully-crafted websites only make the problem worse because lead consumers to believe that they‘re purchasing a legitimate pharmaceutical product.

For this reason, it’s important to know how to properly identify phentermine and avoid fake phentermine pills.

The Appeal of Buying Phentermine Online

Buy online icon

Phentermine has been the most popular prescription appetite suppressant in the United States for several decades, and it used to be sold online. However, in the late 1990s it became illegal to buy or sell controlled substances (like phentermine) online and this practice was brought to an abrupt halt ( 3 , 4 ).

Unsurprisingly, however, in our evermore digital world, many people still look for some way to buy phentermine online.

Despite the initial appeal of instant gratification and saving on doctor’s fees, buying this prescription-only medication online is unwise because:

  • It’s illegal (phentermine is a class IV controlled substance)
  • Phentermine is not safe for everyone
  • Most phentermine pills sold online are fake & potentially-dangerous

Do not buy phentermine online.

Dangers of Fake Phentermine Pills

It's dangerous

Fake phentermine pills are dangerous. Real phentermine is regulated, studied, and medically supervised, and it still has its risks.

If you are sold fake phentermine online, it may consist of anything from an ineffective supplement to a hazardous counterfeit medication. Alarmingly, the World Health Organization estimates that at least one million people die each year from taking counterfeit medications (5).

Fake pharmaceuticals are dangerous because they often consist of:

  • Dangerous, unknown chemicals
  • Too much or too little of the active ingredient
  • Unregulated formulations
  • Strong medications taken without a doctor’s supervision

No matter your budget or desperation to lose weight, do not take fake phentermine.

How to Identify Fake Phentermine Pills

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If you see a website or advertisement that promotes, “phentermine: no prescription necessary” chances are that it’s not real phentermine ( 1 ). The site is probably selling a counterfeit medication or an unregulated dietary supplement.

However, if you are unsure, watch out for these three major warning signs:

Similar Names

One of the most common tricks that companies use to sell fake phentermine is to create a product whose name is something very similar to phentermine, or a well-known brand of the popular weight loss pills.

A few examples are:

  • Phentremine
  • Phentarmine
  • Phen375
  • Fastin-XR

None of these products contain real phentermine. They are not an equitable alternative to what you would receive from an actual doctor.

Double-check the name and ingredients of the product before purchasing. If the active ingredient is not phentermine, it is NOT real phentermine.

Pill & Packaging Imitations

Another common trick is to sell pills that look like real phentermine. Many supplement companies sell tablets with blue specks (or blue and white capsules) to trick customers into thinking their product is real phentermine.

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You can tell the difference between real and fake phentermine by taking the time to check the manufacturer and imprint codes.

Also, remember that phentermine is only available with a doctor’s prescription. Real phentermine is a schedule IV controlled substance, and the laws regulating its sale are in place to protect you. If a product is sold online as “over the counter phentermine,” either it’s not real phentermine, or it’s being sold illegally. Either way, you don’t want those pills.

Not sure if your phentermine is legitimate? Click here to see real phentermine pill pictures.

Misleading Advertising

Misleading advertising is a widespread problem, especially in the weight loss industry.

Supplement and diet companies often use intentionally misleading advertising to deceive potential customers into thinking that the product will do more than it actually will. Other companies lie and claim that you can buy real phentermine online (through their site), but what they’re actually selling is a supplement or counterfeit medication. 

Still, other companies try to attract customers by offering seemingly impossible convenience or affordable price points, plus the promise of guaranteed weight loss. 

As the old adage goes, “If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”

Fake Phentermine Images

Fake phentermine icon

So what does fake phentermine look like?

The fake phentermine images below give you an idea of how hard it is to spot the differences between real and fake phentermine. This underscores the importance of buying phentermine pills from a trustworthy place, such as your local pharmacy.

Counterfeit Phentermine Pills

visual representation of real vs fake Adipex-P capsules
Real vs. Fake Adipex-P Capsules
visual representation of real vs fake Adipex capsules (K25 imprint)
Real vs. Fake Adipex-P Tablets
visual representation of real vs fake Sentis capsules
Real vs. Fake Sentis Capsules
visual representation of real vs fake Elvenir capsules
Real vs. Fake Elvenir Tablets
visual representation of real vs fake Duromine capsules
Real vs. Fake Duromine Capsules

Dietary Supplements that Imitate Phentermine

Photo of phentamine dietary supplement
Phentamine Dietary Supplement
Photo of phentermin dietary supplement
Phentermin Dietary Supplement
Photo of Phen 375 dietary supplement
Phen 375 Dietary Supplement
Photo of FenFast 375 dietary supplement
FenFast 375 Dietary Supplement

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PhentARmine the Same as Phentermine?

No, Phentarmine is not the same as phentermine.

Phentarmine is a weight loss supplement sold by NumraHealth. While marketed as “natural phentermine”, phentarmine does not contain phentermine as an ingredient. It is available to buy online and does not require a prescription (unlike phentermine).

Phentarmine contains the following ingredients:

  • L-Phenylalanine
  • Synephrine HCL
  • L-Carnitine
  • L-Taurine
  • Theobromine
  • 7-keto (DHEA)

Phentarmine is sold in both pill and capsule form. The pills are white with blue specks, and the capsules are half white and half blue. Despite the similar appearance, phentarmine is NOT phentermine.

Is PhentRAmine the Same as Phentermine?

No, Phentramine is not the same as phentermine.

Phentramine, also called Phentramine RX, is a dietary supplement that has a similar name to phentermine, which leads to confusion for many customers searching for phentermine online.

Phentramine does NOT contain the real medication’s active ingredient (phentermine HCL).

Is PhentREmine the Same as Phentermine?

No, Phentremine is not the same as phentermine.

Phentremine, also called Phentremine X, is a weight loss supplement whose name sounds similar to phentermine. This causes confusion for many customers looking to buy phentermine online.

Phentremine does NOT contain any phentermine HCL, which is the active ingredient in phentermine diet pills.

Back to Identifying Phentermine

References
  1. Blackstone, E. A., Fuhr, J. P., & Pociask, S. (2014). Health and Economic Consequences of Counterfeit Drugs. American Health & Drug Benefits, 7(4), 216-224.
  2. Wechsler, J. (2012, September 02). Campaign Mounts to Curb Counterfeit Drugs.
  3. Rueda-Clausen CF, Padwal RS, Sharma AM. New pharmacological approaches for obesity management. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2013;9(8):467-478.
  4. H.R. 6353: Ryan Haight Online Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act of 2008, 110th Cong. (2008) (enacted).
  5. Science in Poland, Ministry of Science and Higher Education. (2018, March 21). Expert: Counterfeit drugs kill 1 million people each year.