Be Aware Michigan, Fake Covid-19 Tests Are Being Sold Online

Test for the Covid-19 virus are in huge demand as the virus spreads and the Biden Administration had not planned to purchase tests prior to the holidays and winter season.

Yesterday Michigan reported an additional 44,524 new Covid-19 cases with an additional 56 deaths. That is an average of 15,000 cases a day which is a new record in Michigan. The total number of reported cases of Covid-19 in Michigan as of Monday, January 10th, 2022 was 1,681,135 and 27,878 deaths. That is 1,136,824 new cases since Joe Biden was seated as President less than a year ago.

Michigan’s Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a warning yesterday concerning an increase of complaints to her office regarding a fake at-home Covie-19 test. In a statement Nessel said:

As the pandemic continues to grip our nation, bad actors are finding new ways to take advantage of our current reality…Right now, there is a huge demand for at-home COVID-19 tests, so it's important to understand there will be attempts to capitalize on that demand. The best way to combat criminal attempts to defraud consumers is to educate yourself on the latest scams.

What should you do?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Better Business Bureau recently released warnings related to these fraudulent Covid-19 tests. The state of Michigan also has issued a consumer alert for websites selling COVID-related products that are deemed to be fake or the consumer never received the purchase items.

The Federal Trade Commission has provided the following tips if you're shopping online for COVID test kits and related items:

Make sure the item you're buying is authorized by the FDA. Check the FDA's lists of antigen diagnostic tests and molecular diagnostic tests before you buy to find the tests authorized for home use. (EUA is "emergency use authorization.")
Check out a seller before you buy, especially if you're buying from a site you don't know. Search online for the website, company, or seller's name plus words like "scam," "complaint," or "review."
Compare online reviews from a wide variety of websites. You can get a good idea about a company, product, or service from reading user reviews on various retail or shopping comparison sites. Think about the source of the review. Ask yourself: Where is this review coming from? Is it from an expert organization or individual customers?
Pay by credit card. If you're charged for an order you never got, or for a product that's not as advertised, contact your credit card company and dispute the charge.

Be careful of anything you buy off of the internet unless the site is a well-known business.