How to Avoid Buying a Fake At-Home COVID 19 Test
As new COVID cases continue to rise, the demand for at-home rapid tests is at an all-time high, and scammers are taking advantage of it. Before the Delta variant showed up, plenty of rapid tests were available, but the need for them tailed off as COVID vaccines arrived. Since manufacturers reduced production, the country was caught short when new variants like Omicron appeared.
Now, test manufacturers have ramped up production again, but it’s lagging behind the demand. Consumers are scrambling to buy tests online — especially as brick-and-mortar retailers sell out or limit supply — and are getting duped into buying fake or unauthorized test kits.
The Federal Trade Commission and Food and Drug Administration have both cautioned consumers about purchasing and using fraudulent tests. In fact, the FDA recently recalled about 200,000 test kits that were not authorized. According to the FTC, using these fake products isn’t just a waste of money; it increases your risk of unknowingly spreading COVID-19 or not getting the appropriate treatment.
4 Ways to Spot a Fake At-Home COVID-19 Test
Here are a few ways to confirm your at-home test isn’t fake before making a purchase:
1. Check that the At-Home Kit has FDA Authorization
Before buying any testing kit online, make sure that the test is from the FDA’s approved list of vendors. At-home COVID tests are authorized by the FDA only after the agency confirms they meet conditions for safety and effectiveness. What’s more, the list is updated every time another test is granted emergency use authorization, making it the best, most accurate place to look if you’re wondering whether that test kit on Amazon or elsewhere is legit.
The FDA has authorized at-home rapid antigen-based tests on an emergency basis. The FDA has also authorized molecular tests — also known as PCR tests and widely considered the gold standard of COVID-19 detection — that can be purchased without a prescription and administered at home. If your test isn’t on these lists, it’s not authorized for use in the United States and may not deliver accurate results.
Some common brands that are FDA-authorized include:
- BinaxNow
- QuickVue
- FlowFlex
- iHealth
- BD Veritor
- InteliSwab
To make life even easier for you, the FDA also has a list of fraudulent COVID-19 products, including rapid tests, that have received warning letters for making false claims and misleading consumers. You can check the name of the test for sale against this database to ensure your testing kit isn’t fake.
2. Check the Test for Instructions and Expiration Date
Another growing scam involves sellers supplying authentic but expired rapid COVID-19 tests. Home test kits have shorter shelf lives, and some can expire within a few months. Experts warn that a test could deliver inaccurate results if administered past its use-by date.
You also need to check your COVID test for instructions. Some COVID-19 test manufacturers sell batches of 25 or 40 tests directly to medical professionals but not to consumers. Tests intended only for professional use don’t contain instructions for use because the test is done in a doctor’s office.
When buying your at-home COVID test, check to ensure the test kit includes all the necessary components, including a full set of instructions. If the box says “for professional use,” that’s another red flag that could mean a seller isn’t legitimate.
3. Buy from Reputable Retailers and Websites
Treat your at-home COVID test like you would your prescriptions—that means you need to buy them at the stores you use frequently and be extremely skeptical of anyone selling at-home COVID tests on the street and avoid them. Street vendors are an immediate red flag as they are either buying from other sources and marking them up considerably or using fake test kits in old boxes.
If you’re not buying from a reputable pharmacy or chain store, compare online reviews from multiple sources to help ensure you’re getting accurate and unbiased information. Check that they’re legit by searching for their name online, along with keywords like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review.” You can get a good idea about a company, product, or service from reading user reviews on various retail or shopping comparison sites. You can also search for a company through the Better Business Bureau to see if they have good reviews or complaints.
Your healthcare provider can recommend or offer an approved at-home test or tell you where to find a legitimate clinic. Check out the official website of your local health department for more information on testing availability.
4. Pay for the Test with Your Credit Card
There are two ways scammers are preying on shoppers looking for COVID-19 at-home tests right now – some fraudsters pretending to be genuine merchants are sending fake, faulty, or unauthorized rapid tests to customers, while others have no merchandise on hand and are taking orders for tests and sending nothing to the customers who have already paid them.
One way you can protect yourself while online shopping for tests is by paying for them with a 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.
Scammers and the Free COVID-19 Test Kit Program
The Biden administration recently rolled out a multibillion-dollar program to distribute at least 500 million free at-home COVID-19 test kits in a bid to combat the spread of the Omicron variant. Every US household can now request four free at-home COVID-19 test kits. However, as is the case with other major government initiatives, such as stimulus checks, scammers are sure to try to take advantage of unwitting consumers.
This time, be on the lookout for lookalike websites when requesting your tests. One way fake websites trick people is by using a domain name that’s extremely close to an actual organization’s domain name. Scammers may swap two letters or make a slight misspelling. If you find a spelling error in the domain name, you’re not on the official site.
These scam sites may ask for payment or personal information, such as your Social Security number or Medicare ID. It could also request your credit card details under the guise of needing to pay for shipping. However, the actual government website asks only for your name and address. You do not need to pay for the tests or shipping, and you won’t be asked for insurance details, your Social Security number, or any other sensitive information.
If you believe you have been the victim of COVID fraud, immediately report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline by calling (866) 720-5721 or writing a complaint online justice.gov/disastercomplaintform.
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