GREENSBORO, N.C. — If you haven't ordered your free at-home COVID test kits from the government, you should. I mean, somewhere along the line your taxes helped pay for them, so why not get them, right?
Debbie from Whitsett sent in this:
I ordered my COVID home test when NEWS 2 shared how to order the tests. I received a text requesting my credit card information to pay for the delivery fees. Is this legitimate?
NO. No, it's not legit. That request for your credit card is a scam.
The Federal Trade Commission put out this warning as soon as the tests were available. The site says: The tests are completely free. There are no shipping costs and you don't have to give a credit card or a bank account number.
I took screenshots when I ordered my tests online because I knew this would be an issue. Right on the USPS order page, it says: Shipping is free. The order summary showed I was getting four tests with the subtotal as zero and the shipping and handling as zero for a total of zero dollars. These tests don't cost you out of pocket. Anyone who tries to tell you differently is a scammer.
One more thing, no one will call, text, or email you from the federal government to ask for your information to help you order free kits. If someone contacts you to help you, it's a scam.
HOW TO ORDER YOUR FREE AT-HOME COVID TEST KITS
The website, COVIDTests.gov, now includes a link for Americans to order up to four at-home tests per residential address, to be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. The orders are then submitted at special.usps.com/testkits.
The White House says “tests will typically ship within 7-12 days of ordering” through the U.S. Postal Service.
Americans will need to request the tests well before they meet the guidelines for requiring them since USPS shipping times are at least 1-3 days.