Interpol warns of heightened Covid-19 scams
Interpol said the swindling is expected to be in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of Covid-19 and flu vaccines.
THE International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has warned the public of potential criminal elements seeking to exploit the global community in relation to the Covid-19 and flu vaccines.
With the pandemic having already triggered unprecedented opportunistic and predatory criminal behaviour, Interpol – in an orange notice on Monday – said the swindling is expected to be in relation to the falsification, theft and illegal advertising of Covid-19 and flu vaccines.
This also includes examples of crimes where individuals have been advertising, selling and administering fake vaccines.
Read also: Questions hang over Covid-19 vaccine for South Africa
“As a number of Covid-19 vaccines come closer to approval and global distribution, ensuring the safety of the supply chain and identifying illicit websites selling fake products will be essential,” said said Interpol Secretary General, Jürgen Stock.
Stock warned that criminal networks will also target unsuspecting members of the public via fake websites and false cures, which could pose a significant risk to their health, even their lives. As international travel gradually resumes, Stock said it is likely that testing for the virus will become of greater importance, resulting in a parallel production and distribution of unauthorised and falsified testing kits.
“Always check with your national health authorities or the World Health Organisation for the latest health advice in relation to Covid-19,” said Interpol.
Caxton Local Media Covid-19 reporting
Dear reader, As your local news provider, we have the duty of keeping you factually informed on Covid-19 developments. As you may have noticed, mis- and disinformation (also known as “fake news”) is circulating online. Caxton Local Media is determined to filter through the masses of information doing the rounds and to separate truth from untruth in order to keep you adequately informed. Local newsrooms follow a strict pre-publication fact-checking protocol. A national task team has been established to assist in bringing you credible news reports on Covid-19. Readers with any comments or queries may contact National Group Editor Irma Green (irma@caxton.co.za) or Legal Adviser Helene Eloff (helene@caxton.co.za). At the time of going to press, the contents of this feature mirrored South Africa’s lockdown regulations.
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