FDA Alerts Consumers About Unauthorized Fraudulent COVID-19 Test Kits
Food and Drug Administration • March 23, 2020
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration
is actively and aggressively monitoring the market for any firms marketing products with fraudulent Coronavirus (COVID-19) diagnostic, prevention and treatment claims as part of our ongoing efforts to protect public health during this pandemic. As a result of these activities, the agency is beginning to see unauthorized fraudulent test kits that are being marketed to test for COVID-19 in the home.
We want to alert the American public that, at this time, the FDA has not authorized any test that is available to purchase for testing yourself at home for COVID-19. The FDA sees the public health value in expanding the availability of COVID-19 testing through safe and accurate tests that may include home collection, and we are actively working with test developers in this space.
Fraudulent health claims, tests, and products can pose serious health risks. They may keep some patients from seeking care or delay necessary medical treatment. The FDA reminds consumers to follow the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines
and speak to your medical provider if you have symptoms of COVID-19. Your medical provider will advise you about whether you should get tested and the process for being tested with an appropriate test.
The FDA will take appropriate action to protect consumers from bad actors who take advantage of a crisis to deceive the public by marketing tests that pose risks to patient health. This may include issuing warning letters, seizures or injunctions. We have already identified and issued warning letters to companies found selling and promoting fraudulent items, and we expect additional such actions will be forthcoming. Additionally, we are stepping up enforcement at ports of entry, including International Mail Facilities, to ensure these fraudulent products that originate outside the country do not enter through our borders.
If you are aware of fraudulent test kits for COVID-19, please report
them to the FDA. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who place the public health at risk and hold bad actors accountable.
As a reminder, the President’s Coronavirus Guidelines for America
details simple actions we can take as individuals and families to #SlowTheSpread of Coronavirus.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, observed April 12–18, 2026 , honors the dedication, service, and sacrifice of the public safety telecommunicators who answer the call when emergencies happen. Held each year during the second week of April, the observance recognizes the professionals who serve as the critical first point of contact in emergency situations. At ETCOG, we are proud to recognize the telecommunicators who serve communities across our region. Their work requires professionalism, compassion, quick thinking, and a steadfast commitment to public safety. In moments of crisis, they provide calm, skilled support and help connect people to the emergency services they need. In 2025 , telecommunicators in ETCOG’s service area answered more than 174,000 9-1-1 calls and more than 20,000 9-1-1 texts . Behind each of those numbers is a person in need of help and a trained telecommunicator ready to respond. ETCOG supports the region’s dispatch offices through training, equipment upgrades, and management of the regional 9-1-1 system. These efforts help ensure telecommunicators have the tools, technology, and resources needed to serve the public effectively and efficiently. During National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week, we extend our sincere appreciation to the men and women who help keep our communities safe every day. Their work is essential, and their service makes a meaningful difference throughout East Texas.
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