3M toughens stand to fight COVID-19 fraud, counterfeiting, and price-gouging

November 12, 2020 12:58 pm

3M has expanded its region-specific resources to report and stop fraud around the world to fight the global pandemic from every angle and help ensure a safe supply of needed personal protective equipment.

In 1972, 3M introduced the first National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) approved disposable filtering face-piece respirator. From there, the company developed a full line-up of NIOSH-approved N95 respirators for a variety of industries. This imported product is in high demand since the pandemic outbreak.

As India is witnessing an unprecedented demand for high-quality safety products, there has been a surge in fraud and counterfeiting activities. To protect consumers from being scammed by unscrupulous agents or buying counterfeit products during the COVID-19 outbreak and ensure a safe supply of urgently needed personal protective equipment, 3M has expanded its resources to take strict measures and stop fraudulent products in the market, on a global basis. The company has observed multiple cases of fraud, counterfeiting, price gouging activities involving respirators and counterfeit AVAGARD hand rub solution. Emphasizing this as unethical and illegal, the company has been working closely with law enforcement and government agencies to penalize the perpetrators.

3M India is working with law enforcement agencies in multiple states to investigate and raid manufacturing operations producing counterfeit N95 respirators, and resellers offering counterfeit N95 respirators to the public, seizing fake products and holding bad actors responsible.

In particular, more than 140 fraud, price gouging and counterfeit cases have been reported to 3M. Nation-wide raids have been conducted in the regions of Delhi NCR, Surat, and Ahmedabad and efforts are on to further crack down on illegal manufacturing units and sellers. The company raided a shop premise and a manufacturing unit in Gurgaon that sold AVAGARD Hand Rub, which was brought to attention by a consumer complaint.

In Delhi, a manufacturing unit that made counterfeit 3M Particulate Respirator 8,210 were raided and over 30,000 fake respirators, 3,300 fake packaging cartons, few machines and printing dies were seized, and the counterfeit manufacturer and die supplier were arrested. In Surat, two sellers with counterfeit 3M Particulate Respirator 8,210 were raided and over 6,500 fake respirators were seized. In Ahmedabad, two other sellers were arrested, seizing over 5,000 counterfeit 3M Particulate Respirator 8,210. On the e-commerce front, 3M India in collaboration with major players such as Amazon, Flipkart, IndiaMart and Olx has de-listed and submitted complaints against over 300 listings.