Feds Take Down First Coronavirus Scam Site
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The world’s first web site taken down of a fraudulent Coronavirus scam has taken place – and in record time. On Sunday, the US Department of Justice announced it had shut down a website in connection with COVID-19, the disease caused by 2019 Novel Coronavirus.
The site, CoronavirusMedicalKit.com, promised visitors a free vaccine from the World Health Organization (WHO) and shoppers needed only to pay shipping costs of $4.95 to receive their cure, however, while drug trials will begin in New York state Tuesday, no known cure currently exists.
The feds said this was the first website to be taken offline due to a Corona virus scam:
The Department of Justice announced today that it has taken its first action in federal court to combat fraud related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The enforcement action filed today in Austin against operators of a fraudulent website follows Attorney General William Barr’s recent direction for the department to prioritize the detection, investigation, and prosecution of illegal conduct related to the pandemic.
The filing was also unique as it was able to shut down the website immediately while an investigation takes place.
“In so doing, the government is employing a federal statute that permits federal courts to issue injunctions to prevent harm to potential victims of fraudulent schemes.”
For the most up-to-date information on COVID-19, consumers should be visiting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and WHO websites. The federal government has also launched its own Coronavirus site.
- https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
- https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019
- https://www.coronavirus.gov/
About The Author: John Colascione is Chief Executive Officer of SEARCHEN NETWORKS®. He specializes in Website Monetization, is a Google AdWords Certified Professional, authored a how-to book called ”Mastering Your Website‘, and is a key player in several online businesses.
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