Checking In With Susan Koeppen: The FBI Reports An Increase Of Complaints About 'Brokers Offering PPE Which May Be Suspect'
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - When the CEO of iPromo, a website that sells hand sanitizer, gloves, masks and other PPE, was searching the internet, he found something odd. It was another website using all of his images and wording to sell products.
Leo Friedman says he was shocked. The other website had just come online in the month of April, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"I started looking around the web. There are hundreds of these websites preying on people's need. They never get their product and they get their money taken. It's really not fun," says Friedman.
He called the phone number listed on the other website to complain, and Friedman says that site is now down.
The FBI office in Pittsburgh reports they are seeing an uptick in the number of complaints pertaining to personal protect equipment.
"We have seen an increase in the complaints from healthcare providers, as well as municipalities, in regard to allegations that intermediaries or brokers offering PPE which may be suspect," says Supervisory Special Agent, Matt Solomon, FBI Pittsburgh.
To file a complaint with the FBI, you can go to here. To check out a website and see who owns it and how long it's been around, go to who.is.
