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New Scam Sees Criminals Begging Bin Men To Look For Used Covid Tests

Homeowners and businesses are being urged to watch out for people going through their bins for used lateral flow tests as part of a new Covid scam.

A waste collection company says Covid scammers are selling on both positive and negative tests for cash as buyers attempt to trick employers and venues.

According to new research, refuse collectors are being offered money to allow these people to pick through waste in order to find used test devices.

What’s behind the scam?

There’s a trade in negative test results for people who want to use them to fool employers, mislead venues that demand a negative test result, and give false information to phone apps.

They might also want to skip a period of self-isolation, with potentially devastating results.

There have also been warnings that scammers are using the QR codes of tests that social media users are posting on Facebook, and selling screengrabs as a money-making commodity.

What’s happening on the ground?

Refuse operators report being approached by people asking to rifle through waste to hunt for used tests.

In some cases, they’ve been offered money for doing so.

It only takes one of these people attending a sporting event with a false negative to become the catalyst for super spreading.

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