Fraudulent Covid-19 Products and scams!

In this pandemic where millions of people are getting infected and still the numbers are increasing by every minute, there is the highest need for the cure and solution to this problem. To find out the best possible drug and vaccine all pharmaceuticals and the medical scientists are investigating and working all day and night. Whereas some companies came up with fake solutions and medicines. May be their motive behind would be cure for corona virus but it didn't worked. But some companies just to earn more profit, produced fake medicines and fraud products calling them as solution to the pandemic.
Someone has to take the action against such, so FDA issued warring letters to these who claimed to to prevent, treat, mitigate, diagnose or cure corona virus. FDA actively monitor any and all firms who was marketing any product under the name of corona virus and selling fraudulent product in the market.

1. As of June 2020, the FDA has identified more than 700 fraudulent and unproven medical products related to COVID-19.

The Operation Quack Hack team has reviewed thousands of websites, social media posts, and online marketplace listings, resulting in over 90 warning letters to sellers, more than 150 reports sent to online marketplaces, and more than 250 abuse complaints sent to domain registrars to date. Operation Quack Hack initiatives have led domain registrars to investigate and take down numerous websites illegally selling unproven products and retailers to remove hundreds of unlawful products from the marketplace. 

2. On 27th of July, "FDA Reiterates Warning About Dangerous Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers Containing Methanol, Takes Additional Action to Address Concerning Products."

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration continues to warn consumers and health care professionals not to use certain alcohol-based hand sanitizers due to the dangerous presence of methanol, or wood alcohol – a substance often used to create fuel and antifreeze that can be toxic when absorbed through the skin as well as life-threatening when ingested. The agency has also taken additional action to help prevent certain hand sanitizers from entering the United States by placing them on an import alert. The FDA is proactively working with manufacturers to recall products and is encouraging retailers to remove products from store shelves and online marketplaces. As part of these actions, a warning letter has been issued to Eskbiochem S.A. de C.V. regarding the distribution of products labeled as manufactured at its facilities with undeclared methanol, misleading claims –including incorrectly stating that FDA approved these products—and improper manufacturing practices.

3. On 28th July 2020, US FDA issued a warning letter to

"Utah Man Posing as Medical Doctor to Sell Baseless Corona virus Cure Indicted on Fraud Charges."

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah resident Gordon H. Pedersen has been indicted for posing as a medical doctor to sell a baseless treatment for corona virus (COVID-19).  According to the indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Salt Lake City late last week, Pedersen fraudulently promoted and sold ingestible silver-based products as a cure for COVID-19 despite having no evidence that his products could treat or cure the disease.

4. US FDA issues warning letter to

"The website “https://corona-cure.com” sold a nasal spray for the prevention of COVID-19 infection."

Operation Quack Hack detected the website, identified evidence that it sold products with false or misleading COVID-19 claims, and the FDA issued a warning letter to the vendor requesting corrective action within 48 hours, leading the website to be taken down. 

5. US FDA issues warning letter to“ Medakit Ltd.’s website selling Covid-19 Rapid Test Kit, which stated is a rapid COVID-19 test kit that could be used at home and would provide results within 15 minutes.

The FDA observed that the seller’s website offered a fraudulent and unproven product and sent a warning letter to the seller.

6. A misleading advertisement has appeared in newspapers. The product, advertised as NIOSH approved, is listed under an invalid NIOSH approval number. Additionally NIOSH has been notified by Guangzhou Harley Commodity Co., Ltd. that their model L-188 is being counterfeited.

On 24th of July, NIOSH has been notified that there are websites selling and misrepresenting Safe Life model B130 and model B150 as NIOSH approved.  These models have not been NIOSH approved since 2015. The product being sold is no longer compliant to the NIOSH approval and is being sold without Safe Life Corporation’s permission. NIOSH has been notified that there are websites selling and misrepresenting SAS model 8617A as NIOSH approved under TC-84A-4276, which is no longer a valid NIOSH approval number. This model was previously manufactured for SAS as a private label until the NIOSH approval was voluntarily rescinded by the manufacturer in 2014. Additionally, this respirator is being sold without SAS Safety Corporation’s permission and was not manufactured by SAS.

Scams & price gouging during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Scam artists are using different strategies (such as promising cures and supplies or posing as representatives of charities and the government) and different methods (like text messages, phone calls, emails, and home visits) to make a profit and gain access to personal information.

1. Email & snail mail:

Phishing is an email scam that can trick a person into clicking on a link or downloading an attachment to reveal their personal information. Stolen personal information can be used to apply for credit, file taxes, or get medical services. Your credit can be damaged as a result, costing you time and money.

Scammers also use “snail mail” (through the postal service) sent to your home. In March, Social Security beneficiaries reported getting letters on official-looking letterhead that threatened suspension of their benefits because of COVID-19-related office closures. The fake letters instructed beneficiaries to call a phone number and talk to an “agent” who would try to mislead callers into sharing personal information and sending payment.

2. Phone calls & text messages:

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received reports of scam text messages (called smishing) and robocalls (called vishing) offering free home testing kits, promoting bogus cures, and selling health insurance.

In March, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General reported that scammers were offering unapproved and illegitimate COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information.

3. Internet:

The Internet and social media can be sources of entertainment and social connection (especially under the current circumstances), but they are also favorite hangouts for scammers promoting all kinds of fake products.

The Federal Trade Commission and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration posted consumer warnings about fake websites used to promote bogus products. It’s important to ignore online offers for vaccinations and be careful of ads for test kits. There are no products proven to prevent or treat COVID-19 at this time. If you have questions about testing or test kits, it’s best to ask your doctor, nurse, or clinic.

People are also using the Internet for price gouging—charging a much higher price for goods or services than is considered reasonable or fair. Price gouging on everything from groceries to toilet paper and hand sanitizer has been reported nationwide.