Coronavirus Fraudsters Caught By Coronavirus Fraud Task Force

Criminals have taken advantage of the COVID-19 crisis for months now stealing money from unsuspecting Virginians by means of fraud. Now a civil complaint has been filed to recover more than 500 thousand dollars from individuals in China who purported to sell face masks and N-95 respirators at inflated prices, then failed to ship the products ordered. A number of fraudulent websites were established to sell the PPE, just as the number of COVID-19 cases were rising in the U.S and the demand for the equipment was increasing. The Virginia Coronavirus Fraud Task Force investigated the case and identified several fraudulent websites that marketed the equipment at a high mark up but then never shipped the goods. Wednesday’s actions will now prevent the fraudsters from profiting from the ongoing pademic.