The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines and treatments, a Better Business Bureau news release said.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, since the arrival of the omicron variant, the increase in testing for COVID-19 has become a concern. Scarcity often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn’t exist, the compromise of personal identifiable information, or the increase of deceptive advertising.
The FBI issued a warning earlier this year about potential fraud related to antibody tests, the release said. Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give inaccurate results. In doing so, they are also collecting personal information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They may also be stealing health insurance or Medicare information that can be used in future schemes.
How the scam works
Robocalls are sent out to consumers directing them to a website that looks like a clinic or medical supply company offering COVID-19 tests. These tests claim to identify if a person has been infected with the coronavirus — even if they’ve recovered. Some even promise results in 10 minutes. However, to receive a test, a credit card or a form needs to be completed with personal information.
In some cases, the test involves an at-home kit. Other times,…
