..-CSfe OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL United States Environmental Protection Agency Office of Investigations COVID-19 FRAUD BULLETIN NOVEMBER 2020 2 0 2 0-001 The EPA OIG Office of Investigations takes seriously our obligation to investigate fraud related to the coronavirus pandemic—that is, the SARS-CoV-2 virus and resultant COVID-19 disease. The Office of Investigations is particularly committed to investigating • Fraud schemes involving criminal activity or misconduct that impact the American people or thwart the EPA's ability to fulfill its mission. • Conduct that relies on, takes advantage of, or exploits a weakness or vulnerability in an EPA program or operation. • Be cautious of imported products marketed as proven to effectively block the SARs-CoV-2 virus. Companies arid scammers are using the coronavirus pandemic to benefit themselves by making false claims about their products and fraudulently applying the EPA seal or EPA registration number on their prod- ucts, websites, social media accounts, or advertisements. MAINTAIN CONSUMER AWARENESS • Be on the lookout for websites claiming their products contain EPA-approved active ingredients which kill 99,9% of all viruses and bacteria, including the SAR-CoV-2 virus. These companies may put the EPA logo on their web- site to try to legitimize their products. . (EPA photo VERIFY YOUR PRODUCTS Consumers use disinfectants to clean surfaces. Dis- infectants that claim to kill or be effective against viruses are pesticides and must be properly tested and registered with the EPA before they may be sold or distributed. The EPA maintains "List N," which is a list of disin- fectants that meet, the Agency's criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2. The list can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/ListN. To determine if a disin- fectant, is effective against SARS-CoV-2, locate the EPA registration number on the product packaging and confirm whether that number is included on List N. If not, the disinfectant, is not approved for use against SARS-CoV-2. EPA REG. NO. 12345-1-5 Product Number Search List N using the Company ID and Product Number REPORT FRAUD If you suspect fraud, contact the EPA OIG Hotline at (888) 546-7640 or via email at OIG at OIG_Hotline@epa.gov. ------- |