PPE Scams Are Abundant, Particularly for N-95

Shortages of PPE such as N95 respirators persist. However, there is no shortage of non-medical suppliers and distributors that claim to have N95 and KN95 masks and other PPE for sale. Many of the sales calls come from third party representatives claiming to have ready access to PPE. Be cautious and ask yourself, “Why does this non-medical distributor have access to PPE when the major medical distributors and suppliers that I have used in the past do not?”

Be on the lookout for these BIG red flags when contacted by these
salespersons:

• Emails that come from personal email accounts such as Gmail or Yahoo accounts.
• No last name from the sender or company contact information in the email, including a website that you independently can verify through a web search engine.
• Pressure tactics such as “you must place your order and pay today/now if you want to get your order in the next shipment.”
• A requirement that you must pay up front to place your order usually through wire transfers, direct transfers from your bank accounts, PayPal or Venmo.

When working with a new supplier, ask for references of other long term care providers who have ordered from the company and had the PPE delivered. Then, independently check those references. Read more complete guidance on avoiding scams.

We continue to recommend working with existing suppliers or contacting your state agency for PPE.

Please email COVID19@ahca.org for additional questions, or visit ahcancal.org/coronavirus for more information.