America braces for COVID-19 scams as vaccine nears FDA nod

Bodies are being moved to a refrigeration truck serving as a temporary morgue at Wyckoff Hospital in the Borough of Brooklyn on April 6 in New York. File pic/AFP

The Coronavirus vaccine inching toward approval in the US is desperately anticipated by weary Americans longing for a path back to normal life. But criminals are waiting, too, ready to use that desperation to their advantage, federal investigators say.

Homeland Security investigators are working with Pfizer, Moderna and dozens of other drug companies racing to complete and distribute the vaccine and treatments for the virus. The goal: to prepare for the scams that are coming, especially after the mess of criminal activity this year with phony personal protective equipment, false cures and extortion schemes.

No vaccine has yet been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has approved the first treatment for COVID-19, the antiviral drug remdesivir. With vaccines and treatments both, it has warned about the potential for fraud. "The FDA is particularly concerned that these deceptive and misleading products might cause Americans to delay or stop appropriate medical treatment, leading to serious and life-threatening harm," the agency said in a recent statement. The drug companies are to have safeguards and brand-protection features in place to help avoid fraud, but that may not be available untill the second generation of vaccine because everything is operated on such an emergency basis, said Karen Gardner, chief marketing officer at SIPCA North America, a company that works as a bridge between the government, businesses and consumers. She said that makes it more important to educate health care providers on what the real thing looks like. "When you have anything in high demand and limited supply, there is going to be fraud," she said.

Meanwhile, investigators are learning about how the vaccine will be packaged and getting the message out to field agents, creating a mass database of information from more than 200 companies, so they can be prepared to spot fakes and crack down on dangerous fraud. They are monitoring tens of thousands of false websites and looking for evidence of fake cures sold online. Earlier this year as cases exploded, hospitals and governments grew short on masks, gloves and other protective gear. Scams grew, too. Tricksters preyed on unwitting citizens to hand over money for goods they'd never receive.

A vaccine can't come fast enough, as virus cases have topped 13 million in the U.S. and many cities have started restricting movement again as the country heads into winter. The pandemic has killed more than 1.4 million people worldwide, more than 266,000 of them in the US, according to figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University. But Steve Francis, assistant director for global trade investigations with Homeland Security Investigations, and other investigators are worried that desperation will make Americans more susceptible.

Meanwhile, Homeland Security investigators and others are trying to send the message now to the public before the vaccines are approved and begin distribution. They say people should only get a vaccine from an approved medical provider. They shouldn't respond to calls seeking personal information.

'We're all very excited about the potential vaccine and treatments. But I also caution against these criminal organisations and individuals that will try to exploit the American public' Steve Francis of Homeland Security Investigations

Cambodia shuts schools after rare outbreak
Cambodia's Education Minister Hang Chuon Naron has ordered all state schools to close until the start of the next school year in January after a rare local outbreak of the Coronavirus. Chuon Naron issued a statement late Sunday saying that all schools will be shut to prevent students from being infected. Public schools will remain closed until Jan. 11, while private schools must close for two weeks, he said.

3,26,005
Total no. of new cases reported globally in the past 24 hours

6,21,95,274
Total no. of cases worldwide

14,61,049
Total no. of deaths worldwide

Source: WHO/Johns Hopkins

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