US Govt Seizes Over 10M Phony N95 Masks In COVID-19 Probe

[appalachiablue]

Source: AP News

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal agents have seized more than 10 million fake 3M brand N95 masks in recent weeks, the result of an ongoing investigation into counterfeits sold in at least five states to hospitals, medical facilities and government agencies. The most recent seizures occurred Wednesday when Homeland Security agents intercepted hundreds of thousands of counterfeit 3M masks in an East Coast warehouse that were set to be distributed, officials said.

Investigators also notified about 6,000 potential victims in at least 12 states including hospitals, medical facilities and others who may have unknowingly purchased knockoffs, urging them to stop using the medical-grade masks. Officials encouraged medical workers and companies to go to 3Ms website for tips on how to spot fakes.

“Not only do they give a false sense of security, how dangerous is the exposed individual without any protective gear? They have no utility whatsoever,” Homeland Security Secretary Ali Mayorkas said of the fake masks. The masks do not come through 3M’s regular distributors, they come from outside the normal supply chain, officials said. But hospitals and medical groups have increasingly gone around normal purchasing routines during mask shortages in the global pandemic, officials said. They said the scams are taking advantage of the panic over masks.

Homeland Security officials would not say which states the phony masks were sent to, but said criminal charges would be forthcoming. The phony masks are not tested to see whether they meet strict N95 standards and could put frontline medical workers at risk if they are used while treating patients with COVID-19...

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/us-govt-seizes-10m-phony-n95-masks-e31fb7965cb831db4fe22fe4324871f5

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- Counterfeit N95 surgical mask that was seized by ICE and U.S. Customs & Border Protection, Dec. 2020. Federal investigators are probing a massive counterfeit N95 mask operation sold in at least 5 states to hospitals, medical facilities, and government agencies and expect the number to rise significantly in coming weeks.

The fake 3M masks are at best a copyright violations and at worst unsafe fakes that put unknowing health care workers at grave risk for coronavirus. And they are becoming increasingly difficult to spot. (ICE via AP)

[COL Mustard]

1. This Infuriates Me.

I worked (my ass off) in mask procurement last summer to get production of masks and fiber restarted in the US. We have several contracts that should be delivering now at full production. To see fake masks coming in (I can't tell the difference) is infuriating, knowing that they may well make their way into health care systems is just infuriating.

[PA_jen]

2. how many of these "Fake" masks are the ones State governors bought

just to have the Trump Administration seize?

What ever happened to the PPE states bought that the Government took?

We need the house or Senate look into that.

[LuckyLib]

3. You can tell by looking at the photo that it's fake. Poorly constructed, threads hanging,

ragged edges. Would never have passed quality control at 3M. Wonder where they were made. China? Southeast Asia?

[BigmanPigman]

4. I have the real ones from last Feb/March

and I noticed the same thing when I saw the photo. There is even a phone number on the mask to call NIOSH for questions. 1 [phone]

[LuckyLib]

5. Someone commenting on PBS says they were made in China.

Not surprised — scammer knock-off producers highly skilled at the supply chain.

[BigmanPigman]

7. I did a lot of research last April since I wanted to get more masks

and a lot were made in China, especially the K95s. They said that they were standard grade, etc but after communicating with another DUer who is knowledgeable about this I canceled my order. I have been reusing my original 5 since I know they are the real deal.

[DontBelieveEastisEas]

8. Good Eye nt

[dalton99a]

6. Definitely not 3M quality

from cursory inspection