Criminals are selling fake certificates of negative evidence to Covid, as a growing number of countries require travelers to provide evidence of those results, the European police agency Europol warned on Monday.
Several cases of sale of false documents have already been identified, according to the agency in an “early warning notice” issued to European police forces.
This includes the “arrest of a counterfeit ring at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris that sold false negative test results to passengers,” which charged between $ 180 and $ 360 for fake certificates, Europol said.
In the UK, according to Europol intelligence, “scammers were caught selling fake COVID-19 test documents for $ 135, falsifying the name of a genuine laboratory to fake certificates”
The criminals also use online platforms to sell fake certificates, warns Europol, even in Spain, where a “scammer was arrested by the Spanish National Police for selling fake false PCR certificates,” for $ 50 each.
In the Netherlands, “scammers were found to be selling false negative evidence statements for $ 60-72 through messaging apps.”
A genuine “fit to fly” PCR certificate in the UK costs more than $ 273, according to a CNN investigation.
In the warning notice, Europol said:
“As long as travel restrictions are maintained due to the COVID-19 situation, it is very likely that the production and sale of false test certificates will prevail.”
“Given the wide technological means available, in the form of high-quality printers and different programs, scammers can produce forged, forged, or high-quality forged documents,” the agency said.
The agency issued the warning to “raise awareness of the illicit production and sale of fraudulent COVID-19 negative evidence certificates” and called on police authorities to “share any relevant information about criminal activities related to documentation.” false test COVID-19. ”