This Friday, March 27, the gendarmes of the Central Office for the fight against damage to the environment and public health (Oclaesps) closed seven websites suspected of being the source of scams. They indeed offered protective masks, hydroalcoholic gel or screening tests for Covid-19 but customers never received their orders, reports Le Parisien .
About 12,000 people would have been victims on one of the seven sites in less than a month, which would represent a loss of one million euros. A preliminary investigation has been opened by the Paris prosecutor's office for fraud.
A seasoned crook
For their part, after closure, the sites try to play the watch by promising the full refund of orders to their customers. "Our sites have been unfairly shut down (...) Our legal department has been seized and we are doing everything (...) so that our online stores are reactivated as soon as possible", is he wrote on one of them, according to the Paris daily.
According to the first elements of the investigation, a man already known for similar facts is behind the fraudulent sites. He is said to be a Frenchman currently living in the United Arab Emirates. He faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 370,000 euros.
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- Scam
- Internet
- Coronavirus
- High-Tech
- Covid 19
- Fraud