Criminals are selling fake Covid negative test certificates, as more and more countries are asking travelers to provide evidence of these results, the European law enforcement agency Europol warned on Monday.
Several cases of sale of false documents have already been identified, the agency said 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, which sells passengers negative test results,” which charged between $ 180 and $ 360 for false certificates, Europol said.
In the United Kingdom, Europol reports found that “fraudsters were caught selling fake COVID-19 test documents for $ 135, falsifying the name of a genuine laboratory on false certificates”.
Criminals also use online platforms to sell fake certificates, warns Europol, including in Spain, where a “fraudster has been detained by the Spanish National Police for selling false negative PCR certificates” for $ 50 each.
In the Netherlands, “scammers were found selling negative test statements for $ 60-72 through messaging applications.”
A genuine PCR certificate “suitable for flying” in the UK costs over $ 273, CNN research found.
In the warning notice, Europol stated:
“As long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the COVID-19 situation, it is very likely that the production and sales of false test certificates will prevail.”
“Given the widely available technological means in the form of high-quality printers and various software programs, fraudsters are able to produce counterfeit, forged or forged high-quality documents,” the agency said.
The agency issued an opinion on “raising awareness of the illicit production and sales of fraudulent negative COVID-19 test certificates” and asked law enforcement agencies to share any relevant information about criminal activities related to false test documentation. COVID-19. ”