This photo shows unapproved COVID-19 tests that were seized on March 22, 2020 from the DHL Express Consignment Facility at JFK Airport in New York City. (AP photo)
The rapid spread of the coronavirus outbreak in the United States has unleashed a wave of fraud amid fear from the deepening pandemic and the scarcity of protective equipment, US law enforcement officials say.
Nationwide, federal investigators have uncovered an array of counterfeit or adulterated products, from COVID-19 tests kits and treatments to masks and cleaning products, The Associated Press reported Tuesday, citing federal officials.
The US Department of Homeland Security is leading a nationwide crackdown and has opened over 370 cases and so far arrested 11 people, the AP reported.
"Its incredibly rampant and its growing by the day," Matthew Albence, director of US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, told the AP. "Were just scratching the surface of this criminal activity."
Christopher Parris, a former investment manager based near Atlanta, Georgia, was arrested last month in what federal authorities say was an attempt to secure an order for more than $750 million from the Department of Veterans Affairs for 125 million face masks and other equipment.
"He was trying to sell something he didnt even have," said Jere T. Miles, the special agent in charge of the New Orleans office of Department of Homeland Security. "Thats just outright, blatant fraud."
The novel coronavirus has so far infected over 1,353,000 people and killed over 80,000 in the United States, according to a Reuters tally.
US law enforcement authorities have reported an explosion of coronavirus-related scams as fraudsters move to capitalize on the panic Americans are experiencing over the rapidly-spreading pandemic.
Law enforcement officials are warning consumers to be especially wary of cyberscams, including sophisticated emails claiming to be from US and international health organizations.
Federal, state and local authorities are preparing for both criminal operations carried out by individuals and more complicated plots similar to those that arose during the 2008-2009 financial crisis.
The US Justice Department has set up a task force to investigate price-gouging and prosecutors have been instructed to prioritize fraud cases. Other agencies have followed suit.
SOURCE: PRESS TV
LINK: https://www.ansarpress.com/english/17364
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