MIAMI (NewsNation Now) — With COVID-19 tests in high demand, it is no surprise that scammers are taking advantage by creating fake testing sites in cities across the country.
Some are sending the wrong test results, sending results late or just never sending them at all.
“The Center for COVID Control” has pop-up sites from coast to coast. They also have complaints throughout the country.
“I still haven’t heard anything,” said Michelle McDaniel, a customer at one location. “It was very frustrating.”
A lot of the complaints include accusations of emailing test results before people even took the test and concerns about identity theft.
“At the moment I was asked for my driver’s license number along with quite a bit of personal data that I thought was excessive but I was sick so I went along with it,” said Liz Gerard, another customer.
The company is under investigation by the Department of Justice in Oregon and Better Business Bureaus in multiple cities.
“It is also very concerning because people are concerned right now about their health,” said Sandra Guile with the Better Business Bureau. “They are very concerned about the fact is it a cold, is it COVID, is it omicron?”
“The Center for COVID Control” has not responded to calls from NewsNation.
Correspondent Brian Entin showed up at one of its sites in Pembroke Pines, Florida. The location was just a picnic table and a couple of boxes. The employees told Entin they were not allowed to talk to the media.
Soon after, NewsNation received a statement from the company saying it was going to stop testing for the next week because of what they call “high patient demand” and “operational strain.”
“I am really upset and devastated because I told people it was a good place to get a test,” said Kristen Rupel, another customer.
The Better Business Bureau says to look at reviews before choosing a location, ask your doctor for a recommendation and go with reputable companies and government testing sites.
If not, you could end up with a false result or no test results at all.
“It is just wrong and infuriating,” McDaniel said. “It is not okay and I just feel like it is something people need to know about.”
