Woman suspected of forging 85 prescriptions in Vienna

ORF reported that a 45-year-old woman in Vienna is suspected of obtaining medication illegally with stolen prescription pads and doctors’ stamps in 85 cases.

She was provisionally arrested after allegedly trying to redeem another forged prescription at the end of July. Police said the arrest followed an order from the Vienna public prosecutor’s office.

Investigators from the Vienna State Criminal Police Office’s East Central branch had been pursuing an unidentified suspect for some time on suspicion of aggravated fraud involving forged prescriptions. Video surveillance helped them identify the woman, who is believed to have been obtaining medication since at least May 2025.

She allegedly presented the forged prescriptions at various pharmacies to obtain medicines including opioid-based painkillers. Investigators believe the medication was probably intended partly for her own use and that she also resold some of it.

The fraud caused damage in the four-figure range, according to police spokeswoman Julia Schick. The Austrian citizen made no statement about the allegations during questioning. She was taken to a correctional facility.