Don’t be fooled by bogus face mask exemption cards in North Carolina, feds say
Beware of bogus mask exemption cards that have popped up during the coronavirus pandemic, officials warn.
Fake documents claiming a person doesn’t have to wear a face covering have surfaced in North Carolina and other states, the federal government said Wednesday.
“Some versions of these cards threaten businesses or organizations with fines if they take steps to require patrons to wear masks,” officials said in a news release. “In an effort to make the cards or documents appear legitimate, fraudsters may include the U.S. Department of Justice’s seal or include other threatening language.”
But the cards don’t actually come from the federal government, officials say.
“During this pandemic, false information — and fake cards like these — do a grave disservice to us all as we try to understand and follow the public-health measures our governments have ordered,” Robert J. Higdon Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, said in the news release.
The warning comes as North Carolina is under a statewide mask mandate, meaning people are required to wear them in public. The order has some exceptions, including for young children and people with medical conditions.
Medical experts have said there are few medical conditions that make people unable to wear masks, McClatchy News previously reported.
To help reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to wear face masks while in public and around people who don’t live with them.
