Trying to Find At-Home COVID Tests? Watch Out There are Fakes in Michigan!

Who isn't scrambling to find either a COVID testing site or one of the at-home test kits? Both are very hard to come by. That's why many of us are turning the internet to order the at-home test. Trouble is, there are many FAKES out there. 

This week, Fox17 reported that Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is issuing new warnings about fake at-home COVID-19 tests. Oh brother, another thing scammers and crooks have gotten their hooks into.

The Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission both have released warnings about the fraudulent tests as well. Nessel said,

“As the pandemic continues to grip our nation, bad actors are finding new ways to take advantage of our current reality. Right now, there is a huge demand for at-home COVID-19 tests, so it's important to understand there will be attempts to capitalize on that demand. The best way to combat criminal attempts to defraud consumers is to educate yourself on the latest scams.”

So now what? What can you do?

Here are tips from the FTC if you're shopping online for at-home COVID-19 test kits and other items.

1. Make sure the test you’re buying is authorized by the FDA. Check the FDA’s lists of antigen diagnostic tests and molecular diagnostic tests before you buy to find the tests authorized for home use. (EUA is “emergency use authorization.”)

2. Check out a seller before you buy, especially if you’re buying from a site you don’t know. Search online for the website, company, or seller’s name plus words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review.”

3. Compare online reviews from a wide variety of websites. You can get a good idea about a company, product, or service from reading user reviews on various retail or shopping comparison sites. Think about the source of the review. Ask yourself: Where is this review coming from? Is it from an expert organization or individual customers?

4. Pay by 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.

We all want to be safe, so be safe online as well!