Coronavirus: Bay Area company slammed for false claims in sales of unauthorized COVID-19 home test kits
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Coronavirus scams are spreading as fast as the virus itself. Today, a local company was accused of selling unauthorized novel coronavirus test kits, falsely claiming they were FDA approved.
This is one of many sales pitches you might get -- and authorities want you to beware. There are exactly zero at-home test kits that have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval.
The city attorney in Los Angeles filed the suit against Yikon Genomics in Foster City. It's a gene sequencing company based in China. The suit says Yikon offered an at-home test kit for $39. It claimed you could test yourself using a finger-stick blood test. And it claimed it was FDA approved. Again, the FDA has not approved a single at-home test kit.
"Let's be clear. The FDA has not approved any test kit that can be used at home to detect the COVID-19 virus,'' Los Angeles City Attorney Mike Feuer said. "If consumers have a home test kit that hasn't been approved by the FDA and is not likely to work properly, they may not get reliable results and they may unknowingly expose this virus to others. The defendants claim these test kits can be used to confidently screen for the presence of antibodies in the bloodstream, making it possible to detect current virus infections from COVID-19. Its Twitter account shared a link of a Wall Street Journal article and the link misleadingly stated, 'Our COVID-19 test kit is now FDA approved.' But that is not true, nor was that stated in the article," Feuer said.
The company agreed immediately to remove the ads and reimburse anyone who purchased one.
RELATED: Internet hackers use new scams to prey on your blind spots amid COVID-19 pandemic
In a statement, Yikon said it is "committed to complying with all state & federal laws and regulations regarding the marketing & sale of medical devices. We intend to pursue FDA approval for the market & sale of COVID-19 test kits, which we hope will aid in mitigating this global health crisis."
Authorities have warned about many scams that have spread quickly during the pandemic. 7 On Your Side be showing you all week what to watch out for.
Go here for the latest news, information and videos about the novel coronavirus.
Take a look at more stories and videos by Michael Finney and 7 On Your Side.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Everything you need to know about the Bay Area's shelter-in-place order
- Stimulus calculator: How much money should you expect from coronavirus relief bill
- What Bay Area tenants need to know about rent payments, eviction amid COVID-19 outbreak
- Live updates about coronavirus outbreak in US, around the world
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area/
- Coronavirus and the new normal of living in the San Francisco-Bay Area -- COVID-19 Diaries
- Happy hour goes virtual as people try to be sociable while social distancing during COVID-19 crisis
- Coronavirus Outbreak: Here's why you should practice 'social distancing'
- DRONEVIEW7: What the Bay Area looks like during the coronavirus shelter-in-place
- ABC7's drive around San Francisco shows empty streets, businesses shuttered
- Symptoms, prevention, and how to prepare for a COVID-19 outbreak in the US
- List of stores, companies closing due to coronavirus pandemic
- Canceled late fees, free services available amid COVID-19 crisis
- Here's how you can help during COVID-19 pandemic
- How to maintain learning during school closures
- No masks but here are 100+ products that may help protect you against novel coronavirus germs
- Here's a look at some of history's worst pandemics that have killed millions
- Asian community fighting racism, xenophobia, bigotry as world fights COVID-19
