A Growing List of Coronavirus Scams

The COVID-19 vaccine is here. But that doesn’t mean an end to coronavirus scams. In fact, the FTC has already warned of scams related to the vaccine rollout. Meanwhile, COVID cases in the U.S. are surging, again.

Throughout the pandemic, TINA.org has maintained this list of known and alleged coronavirus scams. Any marketer that seeks to take advantage of the pandemic, either through the dissemination of false health claims or the deceptive marketing of “pandemic-proof” business opportunities or any other coronavirus-related scheme, is a potential candidate for the list.

We will continue to update this post regularly. And if there is a product or company you think should be added to the list, let us know here.

TINA.org legal actions

• Balance of Nature
• Everest Microbial Defense
• Herbalife
• New U Life

TINA.org ad alerts

• ActivePure Technology air purifiers
• Agora coronavirus emails
• Agora’s “Coronavirus Vaccine Survival Guide”
• American Federal Coin & Bullion
• Balance of Nature
• BlackOxygen Organics
• Clorox Splash-Less Bleach
• Coronavirus check scams
• COVID vaccine survey scam
• COVID-19 vaccine scams
• Dr. Dale’s Wellness Center
• Dr. Sherrill Sellman
• DuThermX
• Immunotype
• Inovio Pharmaceuticals
• JoAnne Bassett’s “Corona Virus Oil”
• Kyäni distributor’s Facebook Live video (since removed)
• Lifetrients (formerly known as NourishLife)
• Microban 24
• Prüvit Signal//Defense Cocktail
• Pure Herbal Total Defense Immunity Blend
• Safe & Healthy UV Disinfecting Light
• The Jim Bakker Show (updated; sales of supplement suspended)
• The Perfect Part (updated)
• Timeshare Freedom Group
• Tom Brady and TB12
• Tranont distributor’s Facebook post (since removed)
• Ultra Pure Beta Glucan
• Unregistered, illegal disinfectants
• UV Sanitizer USA

Additional coronavirus-related content on TINA.org

• CATRENDS: Hand sanitizers marketed to prevent disease
• Coronavirus spawns class-action lawsuits as consumers seek refunds
• Deceptive health claims in the MLM industry video
• Deceptive income claims in the MLM industry video
• Face mask sellers on eBay falsely claim products are ‘FDA Approved’
• IV therapies and COVID-19: The drip, drip, drip of deceptive claims
• MLMs continue to break the law despite FTC warning
• TINA.org finds Plexus deceptively marketing supplements for kids
• TINA’s Take: Immunity-boosting claims in the coronavirus era

TINA.org reader tips

• Jeunesse distributor’s Facebook post
• Market America CEO’s Instagram post
• Maxx Labs CBD Oil spam email
• Melaleuca CEO’s tweet, company Instagram post
• Modere distributor’s Facebook Live video (since removed; see company response)
• New U Life distributor’s Facebook post
• The Joint Chiropractic (Instagram post, article)
• Thymosin-alpha-1

Additional government actions (alleging, among other things, PPP loan/COVID relief fraud, PPE price gouging, vaccine scams, fraudulent cures and an online “puppy scam”)

• Argires, Joshua Thomas (DOJ)
• Arkansas Regenerative Medical Center (Arkansas AG)
• Auctions Unlimited LLC (Texas AG)
• Azzarello, Rose Ann (DOJ)
• Baker, Darrell (DOJ)
• Beline, Carlos (DOJ)
• Buoi, Elijah Majak (DOJ)
• Dynamic Duo (DOJ)
• Cherry II, Joseph (DOJ)
• Consuelo Jackson, Nadine (DOJ)
• Coronav Immunization Stabilizer Tincture (Arizona AG)
• coronavaccine.center, among other sites (DOJ)
• coronavirusmedicalkit.com (DOJ)
• eBay seller accused of price gouging (Iowa AG)
• EM General (DOJ)
• Fraudulent coronavirus cure investment scheme (DOJ)
• Gautreaux, Jase DePaul (DOJ)
• Goyal, Ameet (DOJ)
• Hayford, Benjamin (DOJ)
• Helen Mart, LLC (DC AG)
• Iyalekhue, Nosayamen (DOJ)
• Johnson, Tonye (DOJ)
• lovelyhappypuppy.com (DOJ)
• Marnell, Andrew (DOJ)
• Miracle Mineral Solution (DOJ, following FDA/FTC warning letter)
• My Doctor Suggests LLC and GP Silver LLC (DOJ)
• Olugbuyi, Oludamilare (DOJ)
• Optimum Wellness Solutions (DOJ)
• Osawaru, Esogie (DOJ)
• Paycheck Protection Program fraud (DOJ)
• Purity Health and Wellness Centers, “Ozone Therapy” (DOJ)
• Pytlinski, Andrea Renee (DOJ)
• RootMD Inc. (Los Angeles City Attorney)
• Rowberry, Lisa Bradshaw (DOJ)
• Schwarz, Niki (DOJ)
• Shah, Fahad (DOJ)
• Shibley, Eric (DOJ)
• Skinny Beach Med Spa (DOJ)
• Smith, Diamond Blue (DOJ)
• Stimulus fraud (DOJ)
• Superblue toothpaste (New York AG)
• SuperGoodDeals.com, Inc. (FTC)
• Toamit Virus Shut Out (DOJ)
• Traffic Jam Events, LLC (FTC)
• Trinity COVID-19 SARS Antipathogenic Treatment (DOJ)
• Tubbs, Ganell (DOJ)
• Ugarte, Hubert Ivan (DOJ)
• Wellness Matrix Group (Los Angeles District Attorney)
• White Eagle Native Herbs (DOJ)
• Yikon Genomics Inc. (Los Angeles City Attorney)
• YouHealth, Inc. (DOJ)

If you’re looking for ways to protect yourself (and others) from the coronavirus, the CDC has several suggestions, including washing your hands often, avoiding close contact with people who are sick and wearing a mask in public.

Find more information from the CDC here.