They promise a prevention and a cure for the coronavirus, but they're bogus.
Coronavirus remedies are popping up online, targeting families who just want to keep themselves and their loved ones healthy.
“Scammers follow the headlines and so they're taking advantage of a lot of fears that surround the coronavirus at the moment," said Cristina Miranda at the Federal Trade Commission's Division of Consumer and Business Education.
The FTC and FDA sent out seven warning letters to companies that the agency said were selling products claiming to prevent or treat coronavirus.
The problem?
There is no treatment or cure for coronavirus.
"No potions, lotions, pills or anything of that form that can treat or cure coronavirus," Miranda said.
One of those warning letters went to The Jim Bakker Show. The FDA said the televangelist was selling liquid colloidal silver as a potential coronavirus remedy.
Missouri’s attorney general filed a civil suit against Bakker and his church, located in the state.
"We thought it was important to take quick action," Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt told Newsy. "Unfortunately, there are people who try to take advantage of these kinds of situations."
Neither Bakker nor his church responded to our questions.
New York's attorney general issued cease and desist letters against Bakker and "Infowars" host Alex Jones, accused of selling dietary supplements, creams and other fake coronavirus treatments.
In a statement, "Infowars" told us none of the products sold in its online store were ever intended to treat any disease, including coronavirus. The site now posts a disclaimer.
We found other COVID-19 "solutions" circulating online, especially Craigslist: A so-called "corona virus killer" for sale in Washington, D.C., a COVID-19 "sanitizing wand" for sale in Chicago, and a bunch of fake options on Los Angeles Craigslist, including a blood testing kit.
None of it is FDA-approved to fight coronavirus.
Craigslist did not respond immediately to us.
Facebook and Twitter are blocking bogus claims, sometimes to the point of policing innocent posts.
"You gotta really ask yourself: Do you think you'll be seeing a medical breakthrough of this type of sort through an ad or some type of social media? No," Miranda said.
