As California continues to set records for the number of people testing positive for the omicron variant of the coronavirus, you may find yourself becoming desperate to find an at-home test to avoid long lines at testing sites.
By now, we know unscrupulous scammers are always waiting for their next opportunity and the shortage of COVID-19 tests is no different.
Bad actors may quickly use the omicron crisis to dupe the public into buying counterfeit tests.
So, before you click the add-to-cart button on that website claiming to sell self-testing kits, know how to spot red flags so you don’t become a different kind of COVID-19 statistic.
Here’s a list of tips from the Federal Trade Commission on how to vet at-home tests:
• Only buy tests authorized by the FDA.
• Check the FDA’s lists of antigen diagnostic tests and molecular diagnostic tests before buying, to find the tests authorized for home use. (EUA is “emergency use authorization.”)
• Do a background check on 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.”
• 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. Consider whether the review is coming from an…
