Kentucky law enforcement is investigating alleged fake coronavirus testing sites in the Louisville area where customers are being charged up to $250 to get tested.
City officials are asking residents to stay away from the so-called testing sites, and Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack reiterated Wednesday that all sites must work with the state to ensure guidelines are being followed.
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports:
The sites have been in various locations around the city, including Sojourn Church in Shelby Park, as well as Wayside Christian Mission and a Marathon gas station on Broadway downtown.
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City officials said they didn’t know about the test sites before they began operating this week, but an email indicates the city provided guidance about health reporting requirements to Edward Beighley, president of BCK Marketing, who coordinated a testing location at Sojourn Church Midtown.
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A spokeswoman for [Louisville] Mayor Greg Fischer’s office said that the city has received calls about multiple pop-up testing sites and that police are investigating for “further review and possible action.”
“At this time, we are advising residents experiencing symptoms to seek COVID-19 testing from hospitals, health care providers or government resources,” said Jessica Wethington, a press representative for the city.
In addition to Kentucky, law enforcement in New York state is also investigating possible fake coronavirus testing sites.
On Thursday, North Greenbush Police Department said it is looking into a possible scam where the sites took cash and insurance information in exchange for tests.
“The scammers offered to go to the victims’ houses, which is a major concern. Beyond the insurance theft issues, this brings in the angle of distraction burglary,” Chief David Keevern said. “What the Capital Region is going through right now is bad enough without having to worry about this.”
As of Friday, 245,601 virus cases have been confirmed in the U.S. and 6,068 have died, according to data tracked by Johns Hopkins University. 9,228 patients have recovered.
Editor’s Note: The featured photo for this article shows a legitimate testing site in Seattle, Washington. It is illustrative and not a literal depiction of the alleged crime described in the story.