Protect yourself from Vioxx scams and frauds

Several Vioxx victims have written to us in response to media reports that a huge industry of crooks is emerging trying to capitalize on the Vioxx recall scandal. Some analysts estimate that Merck's liabilities from Vioxx-related deaths and injuries plus losses suffered by shareholders could add up to $18 billion.

Websites and radio/TV/print media ads that promise that this is some kind of a gold rush are emerging all over. And many of these use highly unethical and deceptive practices to achieve higher search engine rankings. (Related article: Vioxx recall battle in cyber space)

Reasons why Vioxx recall is not an opportunity to get rich overnight

1. Merck is not giving any money away. On the other hand, Merck is putting a very strong fight. Like in any other lawsuit, you will need to convincingly prove in a court that you were hurt or a loved one was killed by Vioxx.
2. Merck is a large corporation with deep pockets and connections in high places, including the White House. It will use every tool in its arsenal to make it difficult for you to get a single dollar.
3. If you were on Vioxx but are not hurt at all, forget about receiving even a penny.
4. President Bush has made it a priority to deprive the American people of their right to sue corporations, particularly drug companies (that have contributed millions of dollars to the campaigns of Republicans who now control everything in Washington). In coming months, do not be surprised if your rights to sue Merck are totally gone or considerably limited. The administration might come up with other tactics to deny any compensation to you since it is payback time to the pharmaceutical industry.

Here are tips to protect yourself from scams and fraud related to Vioxx:

1. If someone is promising you something that sounds too good to be true, it probably is not true. Stay away from it.
2. Do not respond to SPAM. No decent law-firm will send SPAM since it is illegal to do so in the United States.
3. Be careful submitting your information on websites that look deceptive. Some signs of websites run by crooks are (i) No About Us section (ii) No mechanism to contact the owners of the website (iii) The website has information only about Vioxx and nothing else (iv) The website has just one page and appears to have been created "yesterday" (v) Rather than providing information that can help you, it is more interested in you submitting your information. If you are not sure, please contact us and we will be happy to help you.

For more help and tips, read our guide on how to find a Vioxx attorney.