Criminals have been quick to exploit the fact that more and more countries are requiring proof of a negative Covid test to allow travellers across their borders. Europol is now warning that fraud involving fake health certificates is rapidly increasing.
The background is that fake Covid tests have been uncovered in several different places in Europe. Most recently at Luton Airport north of London, where a man was arrested after trying to lure travelers into buying specially adapted certificates.
At Charles de Gaulle in Paris, police were able to uncover a gang that was selling fake certificates for between 1,500 and 3,000 kronor to desperate air passengers. The counterfeit certificates found had the names and logos of real laboratories.
– The availability of software and advanced printers allows fraudsters to produce very well-made forgeries of documents, writes The EU's police agency Europol in its warning and calls on member states to be extra vigilant.
Forged signatures
In the Netherlands, services such as ”Airplane Doctor” and ”Digital Doctor” are marketing themselves on Snapchat and WhatsApp, reports Guardian. They offer negative PCR tests complete with a forged doctor's signature. Price: around 500 SEK. Similar crime has also been uncovered in Spain.
In Sweden, which currently does not require a negative Covid test for entry, this type of counterfeiting gang has not been encountered so far. This is according to Lotta Mauritzon, crime prevention officer at the Police National Fraud Center at Noa:
– Right now we are not aware of any Swedish sales outlets because few travelers are covered by the certificate requirements. But if Covid controls are introduced, we will certainly see this type of fraud in Sweden as well.
Swedish rapid investigation
The issue of health certificates is currently being urgently investigated, and the government has promised to provide an update this week. This after the Public Health Agency requested it in order to slow down the mutated forms of the virus if possible.
In their referral response The Coast Guard and the Migration Board are positive about the proposal, but the police warn that it will take resources from other tasks.
The frauds that have been revealed in Sweden so far, including a doctor being arrested on suspicion of issuing forged health certificates in exchange for payment, have involved attempts to reach countries that already require negative Covid tests, says Lotta Mauritzon:
– Anyone who travels with forged certificates is committing a crime in the country they are trying to reach, and we only find out about this through police cooperation.
Source.svt.se
