FRAUDSTERS are jeopardising lives by posing as a government-approved laboratory to flog fake PCR certificates to passengers trying to dodge Covid travel rules.
Social media scammers are charging £40 for bogus versions of the paperwork that are required to enter the UK, to make a "little bit of money for Friday nights".
An Argus investigation found an online laboratory claiming to perform 36,000 tests a month with 90 employees while promising "private and secure results".
The forged document obtained by our undercover reporter certifies that the passenger has tested negative - without ever taking a test.
The certificates are used by the government to track potentially deadly variants of coronavirus, including Omicron, which has forced the reintroduction of firmer travel rules.
The Department of Health described the findings as "completely unacceptable" and urged anyone who has been sold a counterfeit test to contact Action Fraud.
It only took a quick search on Facebook Marketplace for The Argus to find an advert offering PCR tests from £1.
After calling the fraudster and posing as an interested buyer trying to travel to Germany, we were immediately offered the certificate "without the test" for £40.
The self-proclaimed expert claimed to have access to a laboratory in the UK and reassured our reporter that "lots of people" had bought the fake test.
Taking just four hours to forge, the man sent an example of the fake certificate, retracting a previous passenger's passport information and personal details.
The fraudster told our reporter that he was providing the certificates to make a "little bit of money" for Friday nights.
They said: "The price is £40 if you just want the certificate.
"If you want, we can send you the test, which is £57 with transportation expenses.
"You pay after you receive the results.
"Too many people are doing it [fake tests].
"Everyone is asking me can I send them [the certificate] straight away.
"Many people ask me and lots of people travelling to Pakistan, USA and Netherlands to do this mate.
"No one gets caught."
Buying forged certificates is a crime in the UK and using a forged certificate to travel is fraud by false representation, while those caught selling fake results could face prison time.
Facebook, which has been rebranded as Meta, has since removed the advert and claimed it does "not allow the sale of Covid-19 test kits"
A spokesman said: "We do not allow the sale of Covid-19 test kits on Marketplace and we swiftly removed the listing brought to our attention"
The news comes as the number of Omicron cases continue to rise, sparking festive fears for the second year in a row.
The mandatory wearing of face coverings in shops and on public transport came into force in England last week, along with tighter testing requirements for international travel and the return of self-isolation for contacts of confirmed Omicron cases, even if they have been fully vaccinated.
Reacting to the finding, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “This is completely unacceptable.
"Anyone who believes they have been sold a counterfeit test should contact Action Fraud, the Citizens Advice Bureau or the UK Accreditation Service.
“Members of the public are strongly encouraged to find a test provider via the appropriate Gov.uk list to ensure they meet the government’s minimum standards.
“Our utmost priority is protecting the health of the public and reducing the risk of new variants, such as Omicron, spreading.”
It is the booster campaign that the Government believes provides the greatest line of defence against Omicron and Boris Johnson used a Downing Street press conference to promise another “great British vaccination effort” to deliver millions of jabs.
The Prime Minister promised that everyone eligible would be offered a jab by the end of January with at least 400 military personnel helping the NHS, and vaccination centres “popping up like Christmas trees”.
“We’re going to be throwing everything at it, in order to ensure that everyone eligible is offered that booster in just over two months,” he said.
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