Professional identity theft - caution for vets

The AVA has been alerted to some recent incidents where the professional identity of veterinarians has been misused to promote an online pet pharmacy website. The veterinarians’ personal details and photos were taken from an old Facebook post and used on the website to create a false profile, claiming that the veterinarian was an expert reviewer who endorsed the site's content and product accuracy.  

The AVA has informed Australia's Veterinary Boards of this issue, to raise their awareness and seek guidance. Any extra information or advice provided by the vet boards will be shared with members. In the meantime, please be alert to this and report any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities.