TYLER, Texas (KETK) – COVID-19 testing sites should be legitimate, however, health officials have been noticing questionable sites popping up across Texas including one in East Texas.
Because COVID-19 tests are in short supply, the Federal Trade Commission said there is no shortage of scammers setting up fake COVID-19 testing sites to cash in on the crisis.
The FTC added that fake sites can look real with legitimate-looking signs, tents, hazmat suits and realistic-looking tests.
Though the sites are fake, the damage they can cause is very real.
“They aren’t following sanitation protocols, so they can spread the virus,” said Ari Lazarus, a Consumer Education Specialist with the FTC. “They’re taking people’s personal information, including Social Security numbers, credit card information, and other health information – all of which can be used for identity theft and to run up your credit card bill.”
Dr. Joseph Varon with United Memorial Center told our NBC affiliate KPRC that people must be cautious of where they line up to take a test.
“The question is how do you know? What are the big red flags? Well first, if you have a site that is not affiliated with like a local medical provider, an institute, a hospital,” Varon said.
Varon added that he has been noticing many questionable sites popping up across the…
