By Richard Kusserow |
March 2020 | Health Care
Fraud
Temporary Restraining Order issued against website offering
fraudulent vaccine
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has taken its first enforcement action in
federal court to combat fraud relating to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The DOJ filed an action in Austin, Texas, against operators of a fraudulent
website, “coronavirusmedicalkit.com,” for engaging in a wire fraud scheme in
order to profit from the fear and confusion around COVID-19. The website
provided consumers with information on how to access and purchase World Health
Organization (WHO) vaccine kits, even though there are currently no legitimate
vaccines for coronavirus or COVID-19. On the website, consumers would need to
use their credit card information to pay a shipping charge of $4.95 to receive
the kit. The website even provided instructions on how to ensure the vaccine is
ready for use by combining the two parts of the vaccine kit with water. The
website stated that the two parts included: pellets containing the chemical
machinery that synthesizes the end product, and pellets containing instructions
that tell the drug which compound to create. The government filed the action to
have the website immediately blocked from public view while it further
investigates the website and its operators. In response, a federal judge
issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) requiring that the registrar of the
fraudulent website to immediately take action and block public access to the
site. The government, in asking the court to issue a TRO, is using its
authority under a federal statute that allows courts to issue injunctions to
prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.
In its announcement, the DOJ provided precautionary measures for
the public to take to protect themselves from known and emerging scams related
to COVID-19, including the following:
1.
Independently verify the identity of any company, charity, or
individual that makes contact regarding COVID-19;
2.
Carefully check websites and email addresses offering
information, products, or services related to COVID-19 because scammers often
employ addresses that differ only slightly from those belonging to the entities
they are impersonating;
3.
Be skeptical of unsolicited emails offering information,
supplies, or treatment for COVID-19 or requesting your personal information for
medical purposes, as legitimate health authorities will not contact the public
in this manner;
4.
Avoid clicking on links or opening email attachments from
unknown or unverified sources, which may lead to a virus downloading onto your
computer or device;
5.
Ensure that anti-malware and anti-virus software on your
computer are operating and up to date;
6.
Ignore offers for a COVID-19 vaccine, cure, or treatment;
7.
Check online reviews of any company offering COVID-19 products
or supplies and avoid companies whose customers have complained about not
receiving items;
8.
Research any charities or crowdfunding sites soliciting
donations in connection with COVID-19 before giving any donation;
9.
Be wary of any business, charity, or individual requesting
payments or donations in cash, by wire transfer, gift card, or through the
mail. DOJ warns against sending money through any of these channels; and
10.
Be cautious of “investment opportunities” tied to COVID-19,
especially those based on claims that a small company’s products or services
can help stop the virus.
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, visit the Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites.
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