BEWARE of scammers offering bogus Covid-19 tests and fake ‘Covid free’ certificates say Trading Standards officers.
Warwickshire Trading Standards is currently investigating a case in which a consumer may have unwittingly paid over £100 to fraudsters for a ‘quick-turn-around’ Covid-19 test and received a fake ‘all-clear’ certificate in return.
The genuine laboratory named on the certificate has confirmed it was previously unaware of the ‘testing firm’, did not carry out the test or issue any certificate.
The ‘quick-turn-around’ tests were being advertised on social media, targeted at individuals who do not have symptoms, but require proof of a negative test result, for example before embarking on a flight or for work purposes.
Consumers requiring private tests normally have to pay for them, at a cost of around £150.
Trading Standards say the Government maintains updated lists of private providers of coronavirus testing.
The lists are continually updated by the Department of Health and Social Care and are reviewed by UKAS.
