Dr. Sherrill Sellman received an FDA warning on June 1 for marketing this silver supplement as a COVID-19 cure. (Source: FDA)

In a June 4th editorial the Center for Science in the Public Interest highlighted the continuing problem of supplement sellers trying to cash in on the coronavirus pandemic. The FDA continues to send warning letters to companies making false and misleading claims that their products diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent COVID-19. Federal authorities shut down a business in Fort Davis, TX when its owner allegedly continued to sell fraudulent coronavirus cures and treatments after receiving a cease and desist letter from the FDA.

Homeland Security Investigations agents in Baltimore, MD seized more than 14,000 unapproved COVID-19 capsules and several COVID-19 test kits. U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the port of Vicksburg/Jackson in Mississippi reported seizing two shipments of Lainhua Qingwen capsules and Banlangen granules advertised to treat COVID-19 symptoms, which were primarily made of sugar and iron. According to CBP, officers have seized more than a million counterfeit or prohibited items that claimed to treat, prevent, or protect medical staff from the coronavirus as of June 1.

Washington State has recovered $333 million of as much as $650 million in coronavirus-related unemployment claims stolen by a West African fraud ring. The FTC has a list of steps to take if a scammer claims your benefits.

The National Association of Boards of Pharmacy released their May 2020 Rogue Rx Activity Report, an analysis of how rogue online pharmacies have pivoted to exploit COVID-19 for profits.