Criminals are selling counterfeit Covid-negative test certificates, as an increasing number of countries have to provide travelers with proof of such results, the European law enforcement agency Europol warned on Monday.
Several cases of counterfeit documents sold have already been identified, the agency said in a notice of early warning issued to European police forces.
This includes the “arrest of a counterfeit ring at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris that sold falsified negative test results to passengers”, which demanded between $ 180 and $ 360 for false certificates, Europol said.
In the United Kingdom, Europol found, “fraudsters were caught selling counterfeit COVID-19 test documents for $ 135 and falsifying the name of an actual laboratory on the false certificates.”
Criminals also use online platforms to sell fake certificates, warns Europol, including in Spain, where a “fraudster was arrested by the Spanish national police for selling fake negative PCR certificates,” for $ 50 each.
In the Netherlands, “scammers have been discovered selling false negative test statements for $ 60-72 through messaging programs.”
A true “fit-to-fly” PCR certificate in the UK costs more than $ 273, CNN research has found.
In the warning notice, Europol stated:
“As long as travel restrictions remain in force due to the COVID-19 situation, it is very likely that the production and sale of false test certificates will apply.”
“Given the widespread technological means available, in the form of high quality printers and various software, fraudsters are capable of delivering high quality forged, forged or counterfeit documents,” the agency said.
The agency issued the notice to “raise further awareness of the illegal production and sales of fraudulent COVID-19 negative test certificates”, and asked law enforcement agencies, “to provide all relevant information on criminal activities related to counterfeit COVID-19 share test documentation. ”