RT-PCR modus uses fake website

A group has been allegedly selling falsified swab test results through a counterfeit website amid the increasing cases of fake RT-PCR results during the enhanced community quarantine.

According to Marisol Abdurahman's "24 Oras" report, these fake swab tests are being sold for P1,000, which can be given within 24 hours. If the buyer wishes for a faster result, they can add P20.

One of the "marketers" of this group was arrested in a buy-bust operation in Cavite, police said.

The suspect, who has been working in the scheme for over three months, was caught selling fake RT-PCR results on social media. Police will conduct follow-up operations to track down her accomplices.

In the television report, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Rae Tuscano, chief of the Criminal Investigation Detection Group in Quezon City, said the group creates bogus negative RT-PCR result documents.

The counterfeit document has a QR code and upon scanning this code, they will be redirected to a website of a legitimate hospital.

However, upon validation, CIDG said almost all of the fake documents have a single URL address even as the tests were conducted in different hospitals.

There were also fake receipt numbers in the swab test results.

The documents also did not prove that the person legitimately underwent swab tests.

Incidents of selling fake swab tests are increasing especially during the strict lockdown, said Tuscano.

He further pointed out that these illegal operations are usually being done in Metro Manila and neighboring regions such as Calabarzon. — Consuelo Marquez/DVM, GMA News