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In the last two years, there has been a rapid rise in scams in India and a lot of people have lost their hard-earned money after trusting strangers for financial advice. Be it a fraudulent app, being added to a shady WhatsApp group, or receiving phone calls from strangers that sound too good to be true, many cases have come to light. Now, in a new incident, a doctor from Thane, Maharashtra, was misled by three Karnataka-based suspects who promised earnings via a municipal contract to supply medical equipment, costing him ₹3.84 crore. Despite investing over a three-year period, he saw no returns and reported the crime to the Naupada police, who have registered a case but made no arrests. Thane doctor tricked by false municipal contract According to a PTI report, a 39-year-old doctor in Thane, Maharashtra was deceived by three men from Karnataka. These fraudsters offered him lucrative returns through a supposed municipal contract for supplying medical equipment. Convinced by the promise of reliable profits, the doctor began investing heavily in December 2020, making significant contributions until March this year. The doctor’s substantial investment – totalling ₹3.84 crore – was made over multiple transactions from December 2020 and March this year, in anticipation of high returns that never materialised. Suspicion finally arose after the doctor had seen no profits despite his repeated investments. Recognising he may have been defrauded, he reached out to the Naupada police station, who registered a case under charges of cheating. While no arrests have been made so far, authorities have launched an investigation to track down the perpetrators and recover the funds if possible. A police official told PTI, "The man approached police after he did not get profits or any return on investment. We have registered a case of cheating but have not arrested anyone." Ahmedabad gynaecologist duped in <keyword id="21361161" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="stock-market-scam" source="keywords">stock market scam</keyword> In a similar incident, a gynaecologist from Ahmedabad lost ₹1.1 crore to a scam that began with a social media advertisement. Attracted by the potential for substantial stock market returns, the doctor engaged with a group promising expert tips and was subsequently added to a WhatsApp group where members shared investment insights. Through this group, he was introduced to a web link for stock and IPO investments, along with an application that required his banking details and identification documents. A PTI report revealed that the doctor’s initial investment of ₹50,000 yielded a profit of ₹10,000, which he successfully withdrew. This initial success encouraged him to make larger investments, transferring ₹1.1 crore through multiple transactions in pursuit of higher gains. When he later attempted to withdraw his funds, he was unexpectedly asked to pay 20% of his total profits. After refusing this demand, he was removed from the WhatsApp group and realised the extent of the deception. He contacted Cybercrime police in February, and after months of waiting, a formal case was registered against unknown suspects under charges of breach of trust and cheating, alongside provisions of the <keyword id="20003647" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="information-technology-act" source="keywords">Information Technology Act</keyword>.

Thane doctor gets cheated of ₹3.84 crore, was promised high financial returns by 3 men

<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-downplays-covid-19-while-announcing-hell-leave-hospital-2020-10"></a><ul class="summary-list"><li>A <keyword id="6369096" type="LOCATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="nevada">Nevada</keyword> doctor posted a selfie on Twitter at a newly opened <keyword id="6358650" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="hospital">hospital</keyword> care site, commiserating with fellow frontline medical workers and urging them to "stay strong."</li><li>On Tuesday, President <keyword id="6354484" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Donald-Trump">Donald Trump</keyword> shared Dr. Jacob Keeperman's post but in an attempt to falsely portray <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> as a hoax.</li><li>A <keyword id="775981" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Renown-Regional-Medical-Center">Renown Regional Medical Center</keyword> spokesperson told Insider that the picture was taken at a makeshift care site — which is located in a parking garage — on the day it opened and before any patients arrived. </li><li>"It is really demoralizing to everybody who is out working so hard to have this politicized and polarized so much," Keeperman told the Associated Press.</li><li>Trump also drew the ire of Nevada Gov. <keyword id="9956147" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Steve-Sisolak">Steve Sisolak</keyword> who said in a statement that the president's "consistent misleading rhetoric on COVID-19 is dangerous and reckless."</li></ul>After a difficult week treating <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> patients at a hospital in Reno, Nevada, a doctor posted a selfie on Twitter to thank his fellow health care workers and lift their spirits.What Dr. Jacob Keeperman didn't anticipate, however, was President Donald Trump sharing that photo to push the claim that COVID-19 is a hoax."With 5 deaths in the last 32 hours, everyone is struggling to keep their head-up," Keeperman, of Renown Regional Medical Center, <a href="https://twitter.com/critcare_airems/status/1333188592026337282?s=20">tweeted</a> on November 29. "Stay strong."Donned in personal protective equipment, Keeperman snapped the picture at the center's new makeshift care site, which is located in a parking garage. It was taken on the site's opening day on November 12 before any coronavirus patients arrived, a Renown spokesperson told Insider. The image was later reposted by a Twitter user, Networkinvegas, with numerous false claims, and added to a frenzy of conspiracy theories and denial about COVID-19. "Here is the fake Nevada parking garage hospital picture that our moron governor tweeted, proving it's all a scam," <a href="https://twitter.com/Networkinvegas/status/1333569355741679616">the tweet said</a>. "No patients, folded up beds, wrapped up equipment that's never been used! They spent millions on this scam and never seen a single patient in this fake hospital!"Trump <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1333771177005867008">retweeted</a> the post on Tuesday, garnering more than 95,000 likes and Keeperman's criticism."It is really demoralizing to everybody who is out working so hard to have this politicized and polarized so much," Keeperman told the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/media-social-media-coronavirus-pandemic-reno-nevada-6d26d70305a1599bf3ce82bf874a9934">Associated Press</a>. "I am holding patients' hands when they take their very last breath because their loved ones can't be with them."The alternative care site has served 219 coronavirus patients so far, the hospital told Insider. Trump also added a baseless allegation to the tweet, writing, "Fake election results in Nevada, also!" In reality, there is <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1333771177005867008">no evidence</a> that supports the president's claims that widespread voter fraud occurred in the 2020 presidential race. Nevada election officials <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/6-key-battleground-states-finalize-election-results-for-joe-biden-2020-11">certified</a> President-elect Joe Biden as the state's winner on November 24.Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak denounced Trump for not only spreading false information but also attempting to "politicize" the virus."His consistent misleading rhetoric on COVID-19 is dangerous and reckless," Sisolak said in a <a href="https://twitter.com/GovSisolak/status/1333835595102130176">statement</a> on Tuesday, adding that the "implication that Renown's alternative care site is a 'fake hospital' is among the worst examples we've seen.""It is unconscionable for him to continue to spread lies and sow distrust at a time when all Americans should be united during this historic public health crisis," Sisolak continued. "Enough is enough."The president has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-repeatedly-downplayed-covid-19-after-telling-woodward-very-deadly-2020-9">routinely</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-downplays-covid-19-while-announcing-hell-leave-hospital-2020-10">downplayed</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-coronavirus-infections-records-health-campaign-election-2020-10">the severity</a> of the virus since the start of the pandemic. His administration has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/org-chart-white-house-coronavirus-trump-inner-circle-2020-11">flouted</a> public health guidance from experts and scientists — about social distancing and mask wearing — and has faced backlash for its handling of the pandemic. As of Wednesday, the United States has surpassed 13.7 million infections and 272,000 deaths, based on data compiled by <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">Johns Hopkins University</a>. Nevada is currently experiencing a surge in cases across several counties, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/nevada-coronavirus-cases.html">The New York Times</a>. The state has seen a 28% uptick in confirmed infections over the past two weeks, with around 155,000 cases and over 2,100 deaths.

Trump retweeted a Nevada doctor's selfie to push the false claim that COVID-19 is a hoax. But the photo actually showed him in a new and still unused hospital-care site.

<a href="https://twitter.com/RussiaUN">Russian Mission to the UN</a>The Russian transport plane that sent medical supplies to New York.<ul class="summary-list"><li>Russia sent some medical supplies to the US to help fight coronavirus.</li><li>Moscow called it a "humanitarian" gesture.</li><li>The US State Department reminded everyone it was not an act of charity - the US had bought the supplies.</li><li>Some Russians were annoyed that the Kremlin was trying to get good PR in the US when their people are dying at home, too.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>A shipment of medical supplies from Russia to the US to help fight New York City's outbreak of COVID-19 Wednesday night was <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/russia-coronavirus-aid-us-putin/2020/04/01/39d52cb2-7411-11ea-ad9b-254ec99993bc_story.html">lauded by President Donald Trump as "nice" gesture</a>.It was good for Russia, too, because it suggested - according to media spin from Moscow - that the Great United States wasn't capable of handling its own emergencies without aid from Even Greater Russia.The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs quickly pushed out photographs of the Antonov 124 cargo plane - among the world's largest planes with a payload of 150,000 kg (330,693 lb) - delivering a batch of what it described as "<a href="https://twitter.com/RussiaUN/status/1245464169991811074">humanitarian cargo</a>."The US State Department later corrected that information. The cargo of ventilators and personal protection equipment was actually <a href="https://www.state.gov/u-s-purchase-of-needed-supplies-from-russia/">sold to the US by the Kremlin</a>. Even as President Trump and the Russian MFA were congratulating one another for what was an otherwise small sale of vital equipment, a retired former commander of US Army forces in Europe said the footage released by the Russians of the Antonov's cargo bay showed it was filled with poorly secured cardboard boxes, and was probably a publicity scam because they appeared to be improperly stowed for a flight.<a href="https://twitter.com/general_ben/status/1245278793067003905?s=20">Retired General Ben Hodges used his Twitter account to say</a>, "This picture is a hoax...no professional Loadmaster in the world...in any air force...would load a plane like this."<h2>'Sorry dude, we need this for PR'</h2>This otherwise amusing moment of PR flimflammery has a deadly serious side. Thursday saw the number of new coronavirus cases in Russia double in just three days to 3,548 with 30 deaths. Until this week the Russian government denied it had a major COVID problem, and it resisted the stringent social distancing and societal lockdowns widely implemented around the world in other developed nations. In the last week both Moscow and St Petersburg -- both with an exploding number of cases -- finally <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-52109892">announced draconian measures to limit the spread of the virus after weeks of denying the need to take action. </a>Russian doctors and cartoonists were angered that Putin was sending critically needed gear to the Americans, for a cheap PR victory, when it was sorely needed at home. <a href="https://twitter.com/alyansvrachey/status/1245614889726398464">One cartoon on social media</a> depicted Russian leader Vladimir Putin taking a ventilator mask from a hospital patient while saying, "Sorry, dude, we need this for PR." (The box says "humanitarian assistance for dear Donald.")Another Russian Twitter user said, "Well, great. We collect money all over the country to buy remedies for doctors, and our authorities sell personal protective equipment in the United States. Just some mockery."Do you have a personal experience with the coronavirus you'd like to share? Or a tip on how your town or community is handling the pandemic? Please email <a href="mailto:covidtips@businessinsider.com">covidtips@businessinsider.com</a> and tell us your story.And get the latest <a href="/coronavirus-business-impact">coronavirus analysis and research</a> from Business Insider Intelligence on how COVID-19 is impacting businesses. <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-make-beer-with-picobrew-c-home-brew-2020-3">We tested a machine that brews beer at the push of a button</a></h3>

Russia got some good PR by sending vital medical gear to the US, even as coronavirus cases at home doubled in last three days

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="1334" type="COUNTRY" weightage="60" keywordseo="China">China</keyword> is currently experiencing a boom of production for medical equipment, in particular masks. The price of basic surgical masks has increased from about 30 cents to 70 cents since the pandemic began. </li><li>Since the beginning of 2020, 38,000 new companies in China have registered to make or trade face masks. In all of 2019, there were 8,594 new companies. </li><li>But with more supply and demand, the quality of China's exported masks has proven to be an issue, and scams have taken off, costing several individuals millions of dollars. </li><li>In a report from the South China Morning Post on April 17, the mask supply and demand boom was called a "wild feeding frenzy," while the founder of a mask inspection company called it "the Wild West."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet&amp;_ga=2.104256512.1612476055.1586730097-460205898.15844847984798">Visit Insider's homepage for more stories</a></li></ul>China is experiencing a mask-making boom due to the novel <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword>. But quality control has been an issue, and scammers have been using the chaos to rip off would-be overseas purchasers. The <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3080378/coronavirus-inside-chinas-wild-west-where-mask-machines-are">South China Morning Post</a> reported on April 17 that since the beginning of the year 38,000 new companies in China have registered to make or trade face masks. In all of 2019, there were 8,594 new companies. "We are slap bang in the middle of a gold rush for the year's most sought-after commodities – masks, gloves, thermometers, ventilators, hospital beds, testing kits, hazmat suits, hand sanitizer and goggles – and according to those involved in the scramble, there are no holds barred," the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/economy/china-economy/article/3080378/coronavirus-inside-chinas-wild-west-where-mask-machines-are">South China Morning Post</a> reported. Globally, there has been a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/doctors-nurses-healthcare-workers-mask-shortage-coronavirus-outbreak-2020">shortage of masks</a>, which are pieces of necessary personal protective equipment that prevent the spread of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cases-maps-us-world-spread-symptoms-death-rate-2020-1">COVID-19 coronavirus.</a> They're particularly important for keeping <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> workers safe.China's boom isn't just for masks, but they make up a big part of it since they are a relatively easy commodity to make — they can be produced quickly, and factories can turn a profit after two weeks' production, according to the South China Morning Post. This led to factories that make things like golf balls, vape pens, or car parts to turn to mask production for now. David Sun, who runs a logistics company in Yiwu, but used his export license to trade medical supplies during the pandemic, told the South China Morning Post: "mask machines are like cash printers" and "many factories manufacturing while waiting for a production license."The price of basic surgical masks had increased from about 30 cents to 70 cents. The deluge of new companies, and the wild-west way of operating, has led to problems with quality. In late March, the Netherlands recalled 600,000 coronavirus face masks it imported from China after discovering they were faulty, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coroanvirus-holland-recalls-over-half-a-million-masks-imported-from-china-2020-3">Business Insider</a> previously reported. It's also caused people to get ripped off. Dan Harris, the founder of law firm Harris Bricken, told the South China Morning Post he spoke with three people in one day in March who had all lost more than $1 million. One US businessman lost $1 million dollars after putting up capital to make masks before the company he wanted to work with disappeared, while another paid about $1 million only to get a delivery of dirty Halloween masks. Harris also said someone offered him $50,000 for his list of mask stockists, but he refused, saying it was unethical to provide it, and his firm would have lost its bar license. Fabien Gaussorgues, co-founder of Sofeast, a quality control inspection company in Shenzhen, told the South China Morning Post: "This is the Wild West – the rules are being rewritten every day."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.insider.com/thousands-companies-register-make-masks-china-2020-2020-4">Insider</a>

China is experiencing a gold rush for surgical masks — more than 38,000 companies registered in 2020 to make or trade face masks. But mask quality and scams are now issues.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>An exchange student in Utah was tricked into living alone in a tent in freezing temperatures.</li><li>Kai Zhuang, 17, was told by scammers his parents would be in danger if he didn't follow instructions.</li></ul>A Chinese couple was scammed out of $80,000 after being told their son was kidnapped during his student exchange program in Utah, the police said on Sunday.But Kai Zhuang, 17, was, in fact, camping alone outside Salt Lake City in freezing temperatures at the ransomers' instruction, the Riverdale Police Department said in a statement.<div type="image" title="Zhuang is a foreign exchange student from China studying in Riverdale." height="899" width="1600" msid="106468866" hostid="261"></div>Authorities said Zhuang was a victim of "cyberkidnapping," a ploy to convince families to pay a ransom over a kidnapping that never happened.Scammers often target Chinese foreign exchange students, who are contacted via FaceTime or Skype and told to follow instructions or risk their families being threatened.These students are ordered to isolate themselves and send photos depicting themselves as captives.The criminals then send the photos to the victim's family with a ransom note."The cyberkidnappers continue to extort the family by using fear, tactics, photos, and voice recordings of the victim, leading the family to believe the kidnappers are with the victim causing them harm," Riverdale police said.That's exactly what happened to Zhuang and his parents, the police statement said.<h2>Zhuang tried to camp alone twice</h2>Zhuang is believed to have initially been told to camp by himself away from his host family in Riverdale, the police said.He tried to follow those instructions on December 20, according to officials.Police in Provo, a city to the south of Salt Lake City, found Zhuang carrying camping equipment that day. The officers didn't know Zhuang was under duress and took him back to his host family, the police said.But he left his host family again shortly after, and on Thursday, his parents in China contacted his school, saying they had received a ransom note.According to the Riverdale police, the family had already paid $80,000 to bank accounts in China amid "continuous threats."The police said they visited Zhuang's host family, who hadn't realized he was missing that day.So authorities launched a search for Zhuang with helicopters and drones while using his phone and bank records to track his location.A detective hiking up a mountainside near Brigham City eventually found the teenager "alive but very cold and scared" in a tent in the woods, the police said.<div type="image" title="Zhuang was found &quot;cold and scared&quot; at a mountainside near Brigham City." height="653" width="1160" msid="106468869" hostid="261"></div>"The victim had no heat source inside the tent," the Riverdale police statement said. "Only a heat blanket, a sleeping bag, limited food and water, and several phones that were presumed to be used to carry out the cyberkidnapping."Police said that after being found, Zhuang asked for only two things: to speak to his family and to eat a warm cheeseburger.Both requests were fulfilled while Zhuang was escorted to the Riverdale Police Department, the statement said.There was no evidence that Zhuang was forcefully taken from his home, and he was cleared of any major medical concerns, the police said.The virtual kidnapping scam echoes a similar scheme pulled off by prison inmates in Mexico, who targeted wealthy American tourists staying in Mexican hotels.The callers would <a target="_blank" href="https://www.insider.com/virtual-kidnapping-phone-scammers-ransom-children-2019-3">impersonate cartel soldiers or corrupt police officers</a> and claim they abducted a loved one or family member, demanding a ransom.Riverdale police said they were working with the FBI and the Chinese embassy to investigate Zhuang's case.

A couple paid $80,000 after being told their teen son was kidnapped. He was found living in a tent outside Salt Lake City, police said.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Scammers are washing and repackaging used medical gloves to sell to the US, <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/24/health/medical-gloves-us-thailand-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html">CNN</a> reported. </li><li>Tens of millions of counterfeit and already used nitrile gloves came to the US during the pandemic. </li></ul>A months-long <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/10/24/health/medical-gloves-us-thailand-investigation-cmd-intl/index.html">CNN</a> investigation found tens of millions of counterfeit and already used nitrile gloves made their way into the US during the pandemic as scammers took advantage of high demand. CNN reported that it's unclear if these gloves ended up being used in a medical setting or caused harm to providers and patients. A US company warned the Food and Drug Administration and Customs and Border Protection that they received shipments of visibly soiled gloves from a company in Thailand in February and March of this year, CNN reported.Tarek Kirschen, a Miami-based businessman, told the outlet he ordered $2 million worth of gloves from Paddy the Room, a Thai-based company. "Some of them were dirty. Some of them had bloodstains. Some of them had markers on them with dates from two years ago... I couldn't believe my eyes," Kirschen told CNN. Kirschen said he refunded clients that bought them, threw the gloves in a landfill, and informed the FDA. He said none of the gloves he ordered ended up in a medical setting.CNN, however, found that US distributors received 200 million gloves from Paddy the Room, though it's unclear where they ended up. The stream of second-hand gloves made its way into the country after the FDA temporarily eased the import requirement for personal protective equipment at the start of the pandemic. <a href="https://www.raps.org/news-and-articles/news-articles/2020/3/fda-eases-import-requirements-for-devices-and-ppe">The Regulatory Affairs Professional Society</a> reported in March 2020, that the FDA reduced the amount of information needed for certain necessary <keyword id="12380744" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ppe" source="Orion">PPE</keyword> that was in high demand at the start of the pandemic so it could be shipped in faster. The FDA told CNN that companies could only ship in gloves that don't create "undue risk" under the relaxed rules, but the outlet found that there were few physical checks made on gloves entering through the ports. CNN reported that authorities in Thailand and the US have launched investigations into the faulty PPE. The FDA sent a message to its port staff in August to detain shipments from Paddy the Room, at least five months after they were informed about the contaminated gloves, the outlet reported. This isn't the only incident of sub-par PPE and scams during the pandemic. In May 2020, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/many-n95-masks-fail-block-out-95-of-air-particles-2020-5">hundreds of thousands of imported masks</a> that were on their way to children's hospitals were seized because they failed to meet safety regulations for blocking out virus particles. In August 2020, the Justice Department also <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fake-face-mask-website-isis-2020-8">shut down an ISIS-affiliated website</a> that was selling fake N95 masks and other PPE. The FDA, DHS, and CBP did not respond to Insider's request for comment.

Millions of second-hand or used nitrile gloves came into the US as scammers took advantage of demand during the pandemic: CNN

By Aditi Khanna London, April 15 () The UK's National Crime Agency on Wednesday warned that scammers are increasingly using the coronavirus pandemic as a "hook" to defraud and urged people to be vigilant against these new forms of crime.The warning came as a pharmacist and a surveyor were arrested on suspicion of illegally selling coronavirus testing kits in two recent NCA investigations."COVID-19 is increasingly being used as a hook to commit fraud – and we think these offences are likely to increase during the pandemic," said Graeme Biggar, Director General of the NCA's National Economic Crime Centre."Individuals and businesses need to be fully prepared for criminals trying to turn the pandemic to their advantage by scamming them out of money. Law enforcement, government and the private sector are working together to protect the public and combat these offenders," he said.The NCA said as part of the agency's proactive response against criminals trying to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic, it has also shut down a website trying to fool victims into buying suspected non-existent personal protective equipment (PPE) through phishing emails. This followed arrests under the UK's Fraud Act 2006 of a pharmacist and surveyor in London who made false and misleading claims about COVID-19 testing kits."Criminals capitalise on fear and anxiety and they will exploit any opportunity, no matter how awful, to line their pockets," said Nikki Holland, NCA Director of Investigations."Illegally selling testing kits completely undermines the nation's collective response to the pandemic and actually endangers lives. Anyone thinking of trying to profit in this way should take note of these arrests and that bringing these offenders to justice and ceasing their activities is a key priority across law enforcement," she said.The NCA has found that offenders are targeting people trying to buy medical supplies online and have been sending emails offering fake medical support and scamming people who may be vulnerable or isolated at home. Frauds have also been attempted by trying to lure victims with offers that look too good to be true such as high return investments, "healthcare opportunities" or appeals to support bogus charities.Tariq Sarwar, Head of Operations for Enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), said: "The use of products for the diagnosis of coronavirus infection in community settings, such as pharmacies, for home use, is not at present advised by Public Health England."The safety, performance or quality of the products cannot be guaranteed and this poses a health risk. Always make sure you are buying your medicines from a registered pharmacy or website and your medical devices from reputable retailers." AK SCYSCY

Scammers using COVID-19 'hook' to commit fraud in UK

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="143780" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="3M">3M</keyword> is accusing an <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword> seller of hiking the cost of its masks by as much as 20 times while protective medical equipment was in short-supply amid the coronavirus pandemic.</li><li>The company has filed 12 such lawsuits as part of ongoing efforts to combat fraud, it said. </li><li>Mao Yu, the defendant of Monday's lawsuit, said he had not yet received a copy of the lawsuit. </li></ul>3M has filed a lawsuit against an Amazon seller accusing him of charging as much as 20 times the <keyword id="6354851" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="retail">retail</keyword> price in mask listings claiming to be the company's N95 respirators.The company said in its complaint filed Monday in California federal court that Mao Yu and his associated companies charged as much $23.21 — far higher than 3M's usual retail price of $0.63 to $3.40 — for the masks. It's one of 12 such suits against alleged price gougers amid the pandemic.<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/3m-files-lawsuit-against-merchant-selling-masks-on-amazon-for-18-times-list-price-11591642637">The Wall Street Journal first reported on the lawsuit.</a>Reached by phone for comment, Yu said he had not yet been served a copy of the lawsuit."Certain bad actors have sought to exploit the crisis and prey on innocent parties through a variety of scams involving 3M N95 respirators and other health-related products in high demand," 3M said in its complaint. "These scams include the sale of counterfeit, damaged, deficient, or otherwise altered products, unlawful price gouging, fake offers, bait-and-switch tactics, and other unfair and deceptive practices—all of which undercut the integrity of the marketplace and constitute an ongoing threat to public health and safety."3M said in a press release that it would donate any damages recovered as part of the suit to COVID-19 recovery efforts."3M customers deserve authentic products at fair prices, and this scam is aimed at exploiting the demand for our critical products during the pandemic using 3M's name connected with price gouging and counterfeiting," Denise Rutherford, 3M's senior vice president of corporate affairs, said. "Our collaboration with Amazon is one of the important ways we are working to prevent and combat fraud, and we will report this unlawful activity to law enforcement, as well."Amazon has removed Yu and his associated companies from its selling platform, 3M said.Price gouging quickly became a concern for online platforms as the novel coronavirus spread throughout the world, with retailers including Ebay saying they were "<a href="https://www.ebayinc.com/stories/news/we-are-actively-removing-price-gouging-prohibited-items-from-ebays-marketplace/">actively removing"</a> such listings.

The maker of N95 masks is accusing an Amazon seller of charging 20 times the retail price amid the coronavirus crisis

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="386981" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="scammers">Scammers</keyword> used fake emails and cloned websites in an attempt to trick German <keyword id="6354750" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="health">health</keyword> authorities into spending $16 million on face masks that didn't exist.</li><li>The criminals were paid a $1.6 million down payment before they were foiled by police, <keyword id="6355520" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="interpol">Interpol</keyword> announced this week.</li><li>The episode illustrates how scammers are cashing in on government agencies' desperation and need for fast results amid COVID-19.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>A multinational scam involving fake email addresses and a cloned website aimed to trick health authorities into handing over $16 million for face masks that didn't exist over the past month.Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the scam, Interpol <a href="https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/Unmasked-International-COVID-19-fraud-exposed">announced</a> this week, and it's now the subject of ongoing investigations across Europe.German health authorities first allocated $16 million to two buyers in mid-March to procure millions of face masks as the country was entering lockdown to slow the spread of COVID-19. The buyers identified a company ostensibly based in Spain selling masks, and made contact using company email addresses.As it turned out, the company was real, but the website was a fake clone set up by scammers — and the German buyers were in communication with email addresses that had been compromised by the cybercriminals."Those arrested in this case had no connections to the medical equipment industry. They were simply experienced fraudsters who saw an opportunity with the outbreak of COVID-19," Interpol Secretary General Jürgen Stock said in a <a href="https://www.interpol.int/en/News-and-Events/News/2020/Unmasked-International-COVID-19-fraud-exposed">statement</a>.The suspects allegedly asked the German buyers for a $1.6 million down payment for an initial shipment of 1.5 million masks. The victims of the scam paid that amount, but realized they were being scammed when they received a message the day of the supposed delivery asking for another emergency down payment of over $950,000.After the buyers alerted the authorities, the $1.6 million transaction was frozen and Interpol tracked down the recipients, who intended to route the payment through the UK to a bank account in Nigeria. The incident is one high-profile example of a rising trend of scammers using fake emails and misleading websites related to COVID-19 to cash in on health agencies' desperation. Every country on Earth has been hit with a coronavirus-related cyberattack, according to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microsoft-research-shows-coronavirus-cyberattacks-in-every-country-2020-4">Microsoft</a>, and the majority of scams take the form of <keyword id="6359049" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="phishing">phishing</keyword> attacks where threat actors use fake emails or websites to fool victims."They adapted their sales pitches to take advantage of strained supply chains and generate huge profits," Stock said. "Interpol will continue its work on the case — and the many others like it."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-authorities-tricked-by-scammers-posing-as-face-mask-sellers-2020-4">Business Insider</a>

Scammers used fake emails and a cloned website to trick health authorities into spending millions on face masks that didn't exist

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Three cybersecurity firms recently released reports showing what virus-related goods are being advertised on the dark web.</li><li>"Medical equipment is in incredibly high demand," says one researcher, who has documented masks listed for sale by the hundreds or thousands, and at a high premium. </li><li>Other listings hawk serums, supposedly virus-infected blood, and anti-malarial drugs.</li><li>In one of the most unusual finds, researchers found a post claiming to auction off access to a politically themed US website "great for raising panic about the coronavirus."</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul>The global pandemic has sparked a thriving COVID-19 black market on the dark web, the shadowy counterpart to the internet where illegal goods are advertised and sold, researchers say.Medical masks and other personal protective equipment, ventilators that hospitals badly need, and a bizarre assortment of supposed vaccines and blood-related items line the virtual shelves of underground forums, researchers' show in three recent reports. "This is the digital equivalent of walking down the very dark alley in your city where drugs and guns are sold and other illegal activities occur," says Mark Turnage, CEO of the cybersecurity firm DarkOwl, which searches and analyzes dark web content to help companies and law enforcement. "We are seeing a broad spectrum of criminals, from naïve dark net users to sophisticated attackers who are leveraging the virus in heinous ways." <a href="https://www.darkowl.com/blog-content/more-covid-scams-on-the-darknet">In its report</a>, DarkOwl found listings of supposedly infected blood for sale, with sellers suggesting it could be used to infect the buyer's enemies. Sixgill, an Israel-based cybersecurity firm, found nearly 2,000 listings of medical masks for sale in one popular dark web marketplace. "Medical equipment is in incredibly high demand," says Dov Lerner, Sixgill's research lead for <a href="https://blog.cybersixgill.com/accelerating-automated-cyber-security-introducing-darkfeed-for-tip-siem-soar-and-vulnerability-management-tools-0">their report.</a> The masks are often listed in lots of hundreds or thousands, he said, and at a high premium. A panoply of fake vaccines and bizarre products supposedly for sale are often just scams to take the buyer's money, says IntSights, a New York firm that helps companies look for threats on the dark web to stop attacks before they happen. "The limited availability of coronavirus testing - especially in countries like the United States - leads to demand for" test kits and vaccines, IntSights says in <a href="https://wow.intsights.com/rs/071-ZWD-900/images/Cyber%20Threat%20Impact%20of%20Covid19.pdf">its report</a>. IntSights also found templates for ransomware and other crimes on the dark web that invoke the virus to frighten victims. Researchers say monitoring the dark web provides important insight into crime with a dangerous impact. DarkOwl, for instance, found that after President Trump <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-touts-unproven-coronavirus-treatment-hours-after-it-killed-man-2020-3">suggested </a>anti-malarial drugs may have potential use in fighting COVID-19, scammers have also started offering these drugs for sale on the dark web. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-woman-husband-died-chloroquine-warns-not-to-trust-trump-2020-3">An Arizona man died</a> after taking the wrong kind of chloroquine. "There are a lot of things that are sold on the darknet," says DarkOwl CEO Turnage. "If you don't monitor it, you can't protect people."Here are nine examples of dark web items for sale and discussions among criminals related to COVID-19.

You Searched For "Thane medical equipment scam" and got 10 results

Thane doctor gets cheated of ₹3.84 crore, was promised high financial returns by 3 men

Divyanshi Sharma

Trump retweeted a Nevada doctor's selfie to push the false claim that COVID-19 is a hoax. But the photo actually showed him in a new and still unused hospital-care site.

Oma Seddiq

Russia got some good PR by sending vital medical gear to the US, even as coronavirus cases at home doubled in last three days

Mitch Prothero,Mitch Prothero

China is experiencing a gold rush for surgical masks — more than 38,000 companies registered in 2020 to make or trade face masks. But mask quality and scams are now issues.

James Pasley

A couple paid $80,000 after being told their teen son was kidnapped. He was found living in a tent outside Salt Lake City, police said.

Matthew Loh

Millions of second-hand or used nitrile gloves came into the US as scammers took advantage of demand during the pandemic: CNN

Sarah Al-Arshani

Scammers using COVID-19 'hook' to commit fraud in UK

PTI

The maker of N95 masks is accusing an Amazon seller of charging 20 times the retail price amid the coronavirus crisis

Graham Rapier

Scammers used fake emails and a cloned website to trick health authorities into spending millions on face masks that didn't exist

Aaron Holmes

Infected blood, fake coronavirus serums, and hospital ventilators are all for sale on the dark web

Jeff Elder

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