Arkansas BBB warns of COVID-19 testing scams

There have been many complaints from Arkansans from various testing sites who got tested and never received their results, or had to pay a high price for them.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark — As new COVID cases continue to climb, so does the demand for testing in our state. With that, comes concerns over possible testing issues. In North Little Rock, the Rose City Neighborhood Association received complaints about one location. 

“It has come to our attention that the drive thru COVID testing site at McCain Mall has a history of not giving results to their clients. We personally are aware of at least 2 who tested last week at this site that has not been able to get their results.”

The site is run by a company called Covid Clinic, that told us that the location opened back in October.

With the omicron surge, they’ve gone from two to

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Better Business Bureau: FDA warns residents of COVID-19 testing scams | Local News

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines and treatments as the pandemic continues.

Since the arrival of the omicron variant, the increase of testing for COVID-19 has become a concern. Scarcity often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn’t exist, the compromise of personal identifiable information, or the increase of deceptive advertising.The FBI issued a warning earlier this year about potential fraud related to COVID-19 antibody tests. Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give inaccurate results. In doing so, they are also collecting personal information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They may also be stealing health insurance or Medicare information that can be used in future schemes.

How the scam works

Robocalls are sent out to consumers directing them to a website that looks like a clinic or medical supply company offering

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Better Business Bureau Provides In-Depth Info on Scams

BBB Shares Data On Scams

Concerned consumers filed a class action lawsuit against Facebook in August that “…seeks to put an end to Facebook’s policy of actively soliciting, encouraging, and assisting scammers it knows, or should know, are using its platform to defraud Facebook users with deceptive ads, and compel Facebook to either compensate Facebook users for their losses or disgorge the billions of dollars in profits it has unjustly earned from such misconduct.”

Some fraudsters hinder the ability of people to get their money back by using payment methods with little or no safeguards. If consumers use credit cards or PayPal to buy items online, they may receive a refund if they challenge fraudulent purchases. Many people, however, are not aware of this protection.

Online shopping fraud has been growing for several years, but dramatically increased during the pandemic, according to BBB research. A BBB survey

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The Naughty List: BBB’s 12 Scams of Christmas

While 2021 is quickly winding down, scams targeting the public continue to cause trouble. Consumers should watch out for any fraudulent schemes aimed at swiping their cash and stealing personal information. Better Business Bureau (BBB) has a Naughty List with the top 12 scams of Christmas that are most likely to catch consumers and donors off guard during this season.

Many of the scams on this list are facilitated through emails and social media platforms, however the latter is where most people are vulnerable. Exercise caution when coming across social media ads about discounted items, event promotions, job opportunities and donation requests, as well as direct messages from strangers. If you are asked to make a payment or donation by wire or e-transfer, through third parties, by prepaid debit or gift cards, treat this as a red flag.

Be mindful of these scams that could cut into your holiday cheer

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Better Business Bureau warns of health care scams during sign-ups

VERMONT – The coronavirus pandemic left many Americans unemployed and uninsured. To give people a chance to sign up for health care coverage, Healthcare.gov is open until Saturday, January 15. Anytime the government has an open enrollment, people understandably have questions and concerns. Scammers take advantage of this opportunity to confuse and mislead victims.
BBB.org/ScamTracker gets many reports about scammers claiming to be a government representative who can help people navigate Medicare or Affordable Care Act options. Scammers claim to be a “health care benefits advocate” or a similar title. These scammers allege they can enroll people in a better program than what you currently have. This new plan is cheaper and people can keep all the same services. To get started all that is needed is some personal information, such as Medicare ID numbers. Of course the call is a scam and sharing personal information will open victims up

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