The Maharashtra Police is investigating a cybercrime wherein individuals are reportedly claiming to sell an antidote or vaccine for SARS-CoV-2, also known as the coronavirus or COVID-19. The police said that they have come across multiple advertisements on deep web platforms and are reportedly looking for a local link to the scam.
One of the advertisements reads - “I am a laboratory doctor in Spanish public health. I have obtained 24 blood samples and infected sputum of the new COVID-19. I am willing to sell for a price of $100. I could send tests when payment is made, I ship worldwide by ‘seur refrigerator’ to not let the bacteria die and ensure viral life.”
Speaking on these ads, Maharashtra IG (Cyber) Yashasvi Yadav said - “We are enquiring about cases where the blood of patients, who have recovered from Covid-19, are being sold on the dark web for plasma therapy. Normally, these sellers use proxy servers so it is difficult to find out their exact location. It is a complex investigation but we are checking if there is a local link to it.”
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Researchers are currently working on a vaccine for COVID-19 although many believe that a proper mass-produced vaccine could be at least 12 to 18 months away. Clinical trials are currently underway, and the evidence available is very anecdotal at the moment.
Going by previous reports that discussed convalescent plasma therapy, this technique has been proven to work in some cases, but the evidence simply isn’t there to prove that this is a universal solution for everyone.
Keeping this in mind, users are recommended to wait for the official word from the authorities and not pay heed to hearsay or advertisements such as these. It appears to be a targeted scam for people who are scared and vulnerable right now.
The dark web is a place that cannot be accessed with a standard internet browser. This is how it stays hidden from the public eye. But there’s a huge marketplace within the dark web with millions of anonymous users trading items for cash or vice versa. The police need to ensure that the citizens don’t fall prey to these scams and increase awareness about cybercrimes as well.
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