Looking to buy at-home COVID-19 test kits? Here’s how to avoid getting scammed.

If you’re shopping online for test kits, here are tips from the Federal Trade Commission to avoid getting a fake product:

News 12 Staff

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Jan 7, 2022, 12:18 PM

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Updated 1,064 days ago

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning consumers of fake at-home COVID-19 testing kits.

According to the FDA, fake and unauthorized at-home testing kits are popping up online as scammers take advantage of the spike in demand.

COVID RESOURCES: Stop the Spread

If you’re shopping online for test kits, below are tips from the Federal Trade Commission to avoid getting a fake product:

1. Make sure the test you’re buying is authorized by the FDA

Check the FDA’s lists of antigen diagnostic tests and molecular diagnostic tests before you buy to find the tests authorized for home use.

FDA’s list of antigen diagnostic tests

FDA’s list of molecular diagnostic tests

2. Check out the seller

Check out a seller before you buy, especially if you’re buying from a site you don’t know. Search online for the website, company, or seller’s name plus words like “scam,” “complaint,” or “review.”

MORE: Everything to know about at-home COVID-19 tests available from federal gov't

MORE: Breaking down how insurance companies are covering cost of at-home COVID tests

3. Compare online reviews from a wide variety of websites

You can get a good idea about a company, product, or service from reading user reviews on various retail or shopping comparison sites. Think about the source of the review. The FTC recommends that consumers ask themselves: Where is this review coming from? Is it from an expert organization or individual customers?

STOP THE SPREAD: Where can I get a COVID-19 test?

4. Pay by credit card

If you’re charged for an order you never got, or for a product that's not as advertised, contact your credit card company and dispute the charge. Here are more tips from the FTC on how to dispute a credit card charge.

5. Hang up on illegal robocallers

The federal government will not call you to offer you a free testing kit. If you receive a call about free at-home COVID-19 testing, hang up. Don’t press any numbers. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but instead it might lead to more robocalls.

Learn more about COVID-related frauds and how to avoid them HERE.