Mar 24, 2020 12:00:00

Department of Justice closes website that sold `` fake new coronavirus vaccine ''

Companies and institutions are rushing to develop vaccines to combat the

new coronavirus infection (COVID-19), which is rampant worldwide. Meanwhile, a scammer has opened a 'website selling fake new coronavirus vaccines' on the Internet, and the United States Department of Justice has taken measures to close the website.

Justice Department Files Its First Enforcement Action Against COVID-19 Fraud | OPA | Department of Justice
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-files-its-first-enforcement-action-against-covid-19-fraud

Justice Dept. files its first coronavirus takedown: a bogus vaccine website | TechCrunch
https://techcrunch.com/2020/03/22/justice-department-coronavirus/

Website selling fake coronavirus vaccine shut down by Justice Department
https://mashable.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-website-scam-doj/

Vaccine development for a new type of coronavirus infection is proceeding at a rapid pace, with the

National Institutes of Health (NIH) launching the world's first human clinical trial on March 16, 2020. However, it is said that it will take more than a year before the vaccine is actually commercialized, and at the time of writing, there is no actual situation that vaccines for new coronavirus infection have been distributed and sold.

The world's first human clinical trial of the new coronavirus vaccine starts-gigazine

However, as early as on the Internet, claiming that `` the World Health Organization (WHO) is distributing vaccine kits in exchange for a shipping fee of $ 4.95 (about 550 yen) '', input credit card information and pay shipping fee The requesting website has appeared. This website, which the Justice Department calls 'coronavirusmedicalkit.com', also said that it had instructed how to make a vaccine that 'mix the contents of the two pellets and add water to make a vaccine.'

The following image is a screenshot of 'coronavirusmedicalkit.com'. A movie that appeared on a TV news footage, and a statement saying, 'WHO is distributing a vaccine kit due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection (COVID-19). It can be obtained with a shipping fee of $ 4.95.' Images of such kits are arranged.

Of course, everything that 'coronavirusmedicalkit.com' claims is false, and the website was created to allow fraudsters to steal shipping and credit card information. According to a Department of Justice investigation, the domain of `` coronavirusmedicalkit.com '' was acquired on March 4, 2020, and Federal District Court Judge Robert Pitman told

Domainche 's registrar Namecheap to access the website Commanded to block. At the time of writing the article, the website of 'coronavirusmedicalkit.com' has been suspended, and the Ministry of Justice is also investigating website operators.

'The Justice Department does not tolerate criminal exploitation in the pursuit of personal gain in the event of a state emergency,' said Jody Hunt , Assistant Secretary of Justice for the Department of Justice. We will use all the resources at our disposal to shut down these sneaky scammers who steal information and distribute malware. '

`` Americans face the unprecedented challenges of the new coronavirus infection and find solutions to keep their families safe and healthy, '' said Christopher Combs, a special investigator at the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Scammers trying to profit from fear and anxiety by selling fake vaccines and treatments are not only stealing limited resources from our community, It's even more dangerous to spread and cause confusion. 'Protecting the community from fraud is one of our top priorities.