Event summary produced by The Globe and Mail Events team. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.
Law enforcement authorities and healthcare experts from both the U.S. and Canada discussed the rise in COVID-19 health fraud during a Globe and Mail webcast on May 20.
Highlights from the event, presented in partnership with the Alliance for Safe Online Pharmacies, appear below the recorded webcast.
Below are a few highlights from the discussion:
1) Criminals are preying on pandemic-related fears
Investigators have intercepted fake COVID-19 test kits and counterfeit personal protective equipment (PPE) such as masks and hand sanitizer, said Steve Francis, director of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, in Washington, D.C. Most harmful are the fake pharmaceuticals sold as ‘cures’ for COVID-19. Consumers stumble upon the products when searching online for legitimate PPE, he added.
2) Most online pharmacies are not legitimate
Sandra Hanna, a practicing pharmacist and CEO of the Neighboughhood Pharmacy Association of Canada said 90 percent of websites selling pharmaceuticals are not legitimate pharmacies. Some carry claims of approval by Canadian or international regulators but in Canada, pharmacies are regulated at the provincial level. She advised consumers to watch for red flags such as P.O. Box numbers in the address, or a location that doesn’t match their stated jurisdiction.
3) Efforts to combat fraud require bilateral cooperation
Authorities often intercept fake products at Canada-U.S. border crossings, said April Miller, Assistant Attache with Homeland Security Investigations with the U.S. Consulate General in Toronto. It’s therefore important for authorities in the U.S. and Canada to cooperate and share information, and to work together to educate consumers about the safety risks.
4) Most fraud isn’t reported
Less than five percent of fraud is reported, said Jeffrey Thomas, senior RCMP intelligence analyst with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. Many victims of fraud are embarrassed and reluctant to come forward. He said financial institutions often learn about fraud through customers attempting to recover their money. Victims of fraud may also confide in their healthcare provider or pharmacist. He urged anyone who learns about fake products or a defrauded consumer to report it.
5) Domain registration companies can do more
Law enforcement in the U.S. and Canada have some ability to shut down web sites selling fake products but speakers agreed domain registration companies should play a more active role in helping to identify and take down the sites, and in sharing information more openly with law enforcement.
View the full discussion above.