The European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) has issued an Early Warning Notification on the selling of fake COVID-19 test certificates after several cases emerged in some parts of Europe.

In a press release announcing the warning, Europol pointed out that several cases of fraudulent COVID-19 test certificates being sold to travellers have been detected so far, including a forgery ring selling negative test results to passengers at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France, which has been dismantled.

The same had been charging travellers between €150 to €300 for one document.

At the Luton Airport in the UK, a person has been detected selling fraudulent COVID-19 documents for £100, faking the name of a genuine laboratory on the certificates. Whereas in the Netherlands, scammers were using messaging apps to sell fake COVID-19 test certificates through messaging apps, for €50-60.

Previously in December last year, the Spanish National Police had also caught a fraudster selling fake test results for only €40.

“As long as travel restrictions remain in place due to the pandemic, it is very likely that criminals will seize the opportunity of producing and selling fake COVID-19 test certificates,” Europol notes in its press release.

Europol also points out that due to the widespread technological means available, including high-quality printers and different software, fraudsters are now capable of producing high-quality fake documents, thus encouraging the Member States to share with Europol any relevant information on criminal activities related to fake COVID-19 test documentation.

According to Europol the detection of fake COVID-19 negative test certificates confirms that criminals – be it organised crime groups or individual opportunistic scammers – seize profitable opportunities once they arise.

“The purpose of this notification is to increase further awareness of the illicit production and sales of fraudulent COVID-19 negative test certificates,” the notification reiterates.

The requirement of a certificate that shows the arriving travellers had tested for COVID-19 and resulted negative is required by all EU and Schengen Area Member States at the moment, though the requirement is applied to different categories of travellers, mainly depending on the area they are coming from.