COVID-19 scams

COVID-19 scams are scams whose cover story primarily relies on the existence of the COVID-19 pandemic. They have been reported in multiple countries, primarily the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Within the United Kingdom there were many instances of companies contracted to provide COVID-19 testing kits and personal protective equipment (PPE), when the companies had direct ties to those in the UK parliament.

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Action items

• Read the article's evidence and "investigation" or "reception" sections, and open its cited sources.
• Before sharing anything on this topic, run it through the fact-checkers above.
• Check claims with the WHO, CDC, NHS or your national health agency.
• Ask your doctor or pharmacist before changing treatment.
• Look for systematic reviews (e.g. Cochrane), not single studies.
• If someone you know believes it, ask what evidence would change their mind, and share one good source, not ten.

Prevention steps

1. StopNotice a strong emotion (anger, fear, 'they don't want you to know') before you share. Pause first.
2. Investigate the sourceWho is making the claim, what's their expertise, and what do they gain if you believe it?
3. Find better coverageRead laterally: open new tabs and see what independent outlets and fact-checkers say.
4. Trace claims to the originFind the original study, video or document. Check dates and whether quotes are cut.
5. Ask what would change your mindReal theories can be tested. If every piece of counter-evidence 'proves' the cover-up, it can't be.
6. Count the peopleBig secret plots need thousands of people to stay silent for years. That rarely happens.
7. Talk, don't mockWith friends or family, ask questions, listen, share your own sources calmly. Shame backfires.
8. PrebunkLearn the common tricks (cherry-picking, fake experts, false dilemmas) so you spot them early.

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