Health workers will perform a PCR test at a Covid-19 diagnostic center at El Alto International Airport, Bolivia, on January 28, 2021.
AIZAR RALDES | AFP | Getty Images
According to Europol, the illegal sale of fake negative Covid-19 test results is becoming more widespread as criminals want to take advantage of travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic.
The EU law enforcement agency on Monday reported an increase in cases of fraudulent Covid-19 test certificates sold to travelers. It’s because an increasing number of countries in the European Union and beyond are requiring travelers to show a negative coronavirus test to gain entry when traveling from a high-risk area.
In its latest Early Warning Notification, which Europol issues to alert EU Member States to new or increasingly common forms of criminal activity, the agency said the latest case of this crime had been discovered at Luton Airport in the UK, where a man was arrested during to sell false coronavirus test results. Elsewhere in the UK, fraudsters were caught selling fake Covid-19 test documents for £ 100 ($ 137).
There have also been previous reports of similar activities in other European countries.
A counterfeit ring at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, for example, was “dismantled” after it was found to have sold false negative test results to passengers, Europol said. The amount charged for the fake test documents ranged from 150-300 euros ($ 181- $ 363).
Another fraudster was arrested in Spain for selling false negative test certificates on the internet for 40 euros, and in the Netherlands scammers were discovered selling fake negative test results for 50-60 euros via messaging apps.
“As long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the Covid-19 situation, it is very likely that the production and sale of false test certificates will prevail,” Europol added.
“Given the widespread technology available, in the form of high-quality printers and various software, fraudsters are able to produce high-quality counterfeit, forged or falsified documents.”
False test results are just one example of a series of fraudulent activities that emerged during the pandemic. Fake coronavirus test kits have been sold and online scams have soared during the health crisis, with criminals exploiting millions of people who now work from home.
Other criminals have tried to take advantage of government programs to support people during the pandemic, such as leave schemes. Last September, the UK tax office said it believed up to £ 3.5 billion in payments could be fraudulently claimed or paid out falsely as part of the UK job retention program.