Started Monday Dec. 13 mayor says; council members informed by email same day, not told what criteria was used nor provided with details to make the decision themselves about Cornelius “Con” Johnson

“It should not be up to the staff to make a determination of whether someone passed or failed…All of this should be…shared with the city council…then be up to the city council to determine whether the results meet their standards for selecting a city manager.” – Martha Perego, Director of Member Services and Ethics, International City/County Management Association

By Allen Payton

In a breach of protocol and mishandling of proper procedure, City of Antioch staff, including at least Administrative Services Director Nickie Mastay, unilaterally determined new Interim City Manager Cornelius “Con” Johnson successfully passed the background check she conducted. In her position, which is essentially in charge of human resources, Mastay is one of the department heads who answers directly to the city manager. Johnson has been granted full authority as city manager to hire and fire any and all department heads, which includes Mastay, the chief of police, and others. (See related article)

According to Martha Perego, Director of Member Services and Ethics for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), it’s the city council’s responsibility to determine if a candidate for city manager passed or failed the background check, not city staff.

Without fanfare or major public announcement, Johnson started in his position as interim city manager on Monday, Dec. 13. The public was not made aware of that fact until the end of the council meeting on Tuesday night, Dec. 14, when Mayor Lamar Thorpe made a rather casual but surprising comment welcoming Johnson, who the mayor said had started in his new position the day before. That answered the question for some members of the public in attendance for the council meeting why Johnson was included in the photos for outgoing City Manager Ron Bernal.

Mayor, Two Council Members, Staff Refuse to Answer Questions

On Wednesday, Dec. 15, questions were sent to Mastay, City Attorney Thomas L. Smith, and all five council members asking about Johnson starting that Monday. They were asked, “how is that possible if the background check being conducted by Nickie Mastay isn’t yet completed? If it is, when was it completed? If Con passed it, who determined that? Did the council members receive a copy of a report on his background check?”

The staff and council members were also asked, “isn’t it the council’s responsibility to review the findings from the background check and then make the determination if he successfully passed it and vote on it during closed session which would then be reported out to the public how each council member voted? If it was Nickie who determined that, how could she? Who gave or what gives her the authority to do so?  Doesn’t she have a clear conflict of interest since Con will be her new boss and can fire and replace her with his full authority as city manager granted to him by the city council? Wouldn’t she pass him knowing there are three votes on the council to hire him? Or was it Thomas who determined Con successfully passed the background check? If so, how can an equal colleague, both of whom are hired by the council, be the one to make such a subjective determination?”

Since neither Smith nor Mastay responded to previous questions to them of what would cause someone to fail a background check, additional questions were posed to them and the council members. They were asked, “what are the determining factors that were considered, specifically for an interim city manager candidate? Is lying on his resume and inflating credentials grounds for failing the background check? Shouldn’t that be the criteria, when conducting background checks of anyone who wants to work for the City of Antioch?”

Is financial experience a determining factor? While I didn’t write about it (previously), based on the information I’ve received from an Antioch resident who conducted his own background check on Con, it shows he has two bankruptcies and three real estate foreclosures in his past. Were you aware of that? If so, were those facts considered for someone being hired for the top position of running an operation with a $259 million annual budget?”

Ogorchock, Barbanica Respond But Can’t Answer Most Questions

According to District 3 Councilwoman Lori Ogorchock, council members received an email on Monday morning, Dec. 8 informing them that Johnson had passed the background check.

“I received an email on Monday morning stating that he had passed his background and they would be doing his on-boarding,” she said.” That’s all I got. That was it.”

Asked if she had asked city staff about the process and why the council members weren’t the ones to determine if Johnson had passed, Ogorchock said, “I called Nickie (Mastay) and I’m waiting for a response back. I didn’t get a response, yesterday, the day before or today.”

“I’m trying to get answers to questions people are asking me,” she continued. “I also don’t know why there hasn’t been a press release on it, either.”

District 2 Councilman Mike Barbanica reiterated what his colleague said. In response to the Herald’s questions, he wrote, “We received an email Monday morning 8:29 AM (the entire council) stating that he had passed his background and was onboarding.  I did not see any documents of the background.”

Asked about the background check, he said, “we were told human resources was doing it. I spoke to Ron about it after the council meeting in which the council voted 3-2 to hire Johnson, and he said the background check would be conducted and reviewed by human resources.”

Asked, again who determined Johnson had passed the background check, Barbanica said, “I don’t know if the mayor reviewed it. I didn’t review it.”

On Monday, Jan. 10, asked if she had heard back from Mastay, Ogorchock said, “She said she was going to reach out to you. I believe she hired an outside firm to do the background check. I don’t know.”

Questions on Process for Hiring Interim or Permanent City Manager to Johnson, Assistant City Manager Go Unanswered

Unless the council hires Johnson, Assistant City Manager Rosanna Bayon-Moore, or someone else on city staff, to be the permanent city manager, they will have to go through the same process, again later this year. In an attempt to determine what process was followed, this time and what is the proper process for dealing with the background check of a city manager candidate, the following, additional questions were sent to the same individuals, as well as Johnson and Bayon-Moore early Thursday afternoon, Dec. 16: “Was the council provided with a copy of Mr. Johnson’s complete background check? When and how were they informed that he had successfully passed it? Who determined that he passed it? If it wasn’t the council members, why wasn’t it? What were the criteria upon which that determination was made for the hiring of Mr. Johnson and/or for any city manager or city attorney candidate?”

Another attempt to reach Mastay by phone made on Monday morning, Jan. 10 was unsuccessful.

Questions for International City/County Management Association

An effort to reach someone at ICMA to answer questions regarding the proper procedure for hiring and conducting the background check of an interim or permanent city manager candidate, was unsuccessful between Dec. 15 and 31.

Those questions were sent via email on Friday, Jan. 7 to Ethics Director Perego. She was also asked who should determine if the candidate has successfully passed the background check and if it is a conflict of interest for a department head who answers directly to the city manager to make that determination. Perego was also asked shouldn’t it be the city council’s decision to make that determination based on the background information gathered by a city’s human resources department and provided to the council members. Finally, she was asked what is the criteria that a city council should use on which to base the determination if the candidate for city manager has passed or failed the background check.

Council, City Staff Mishandle Hiring Process, Background Check

In response, Perego of the ICMA, responded Monday morning, Jan. 10 with the following:

“One of the benefits of using an outside firm to assist in the recruitment of a city manager is that they handle vetting of the candidates. You avoid the potentially awkward situation where a staff member who ultimately will report to the city manager may have weighed in on the candidates, even if it is just providing basic information.  Or learns something in the course of the process that is potentially embarrassing or questionable about their future boss. Hopefully, they would be professional about the matter. But that is why independence and objectivity that an outside firm brings, even from the appearance perspective, can be very beneficial.

Where the city relies on the HR team to manage the recruitment, they will be involved in the background check. They should be clear with the city council in advance about what data points they are checking and then report the factual results of that review to the city council. It should not be up to the staff to make a determination of whether someone passed or failed.  There should be an initial background check of applications who have been determined to meet the qualifications to determine who will move on to the next round, i.e. confirm educational credentials, residency, online reputation, related issues, etc. That should be followed up with a more in-depth background check that includes criminal records, lawsuits, bankruptcy, etc.  When the outside firms are involved, they typically will ask early on whether there is anything in the candidate’s background that the potential employer should know about. They use that info when conducting the background check to confirm whether the candidate was forthcoming and truthful.

All of this should be done confidentially and shared with the city council in a confidential manner (as long as that is permitted by law). It should then be up to the city council to determine whether the results meet their standards for selecting a city manager. They may also want to talk with the candidate about the results to acquire some context. For example, perhaps the candidate defaulted on a home mortgage a decade ago. Depending on the circumstances, that in and of itself may not be a disqualifying event.  But a recent DUI or arrest for assault, especially if it was not disclosed upfront during the initial discussions, is different and may be an automatic disqualifier.”

Perego’s Response and Questions Again Sent to Council, Staff

Perego’s response and questions about the process were again sent to Mastay, Attorney Smith, Johnson, the mayor and council members, Monday morning at 10:02 AM. They were asked: “Who conducted Mr. Johnson’s background check? Was it Nickie Mastay or did she hire an outside firm? If so, what is the name of the firm who conducted it? How much did the City pay them? Did the council provide the data points to staff of what they wanted in the background check? What were the determining factors upon which Mr. Johnson could pass or fail? Were the results of the background check presented to any or all council members? Who made the determination that Mr. Johnson passed his background check and upon what basis? Was it the mayor, council, Nickie Mastay or someone else on city staff?

In addition, Smith was specifically asked “Is that permitted by law for the council to do in California?” regarding the section in which Perego wrote, “All of this should be done confidentially and shared with the city council in a confidential manner (as long as that is permitted by law).”

They were each given until 12:30 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10 to respond.

No responses had been received from any staff member, the mayor or other council members, as of publication time at 1:00 p.m.

Bernal Welcomes Johnson, Misrepresents Title, Position With SFPD

Other than the mayor’s brief announcement, the only other mention of Johnson becoming interim city manager was in retiring city manager Ron Bernal’s final Bi-Weekly Update issued on Dec. 28, in which he also misrepresented Johnson’s last title and position with the San Francisco Police Department. As has been previously reported, although Johnson served in his final two years as an acting captain and retired and his pension is being paid as a Lieutenant III, his resume only shows the title of captain, and has been introduced to the public as a retired captain since late 2020. Johnson still has not explained the discrepancy. (See related articles here and here)

Bernal wrote, “WELCOME CON! I am very pleased to introduce our new Interim City Manager, Cornelius Johnson. Mr. Johnson comes to us with 17 years of managerial experience with the City and County of San Francisco, most recently as a captain in the San Francisco Police Department’s Field Operations Bureau. Throughout his career, Con has devoted his career to establishing strong bonds between his agencies and the residents he has served. Please join me in welcoming Con to our Antioch family.”

As of Monday, Jan. 10 the Administration Department page on the City’s website still shows Bernal is city manager.

Johnson’s first council meeting as interim city manager is tomorrow night, Tuesday, Jan. 11.

Pledges to continue work in Congress for Contra Costa; if re-elected will continue to represent portions of Antioch; lists his endorsements

CONTRA COSTA, CA – The DeSaulnier for Congress Campaign announced the launch of the congressman’s re-election effort for California’s newly drawn 10th Congressional district, as approved by the California Citizens’ Redistricting Commission (CCRC) on Monday, Dec. 20th. Mark DeSaulnier has represented Concord and Contra Costa County in Congress since 2015 and vows to continue to work hard for his constituents, fighting for working families.

Th 10th District encompasses most of Contra Costa County, including Lamorinda, the San Ramon Valley, Concord, Clayton, Clyde, Pacheco, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, and portions of Martinez in Central County, and in East County, Brentwood, Oakley, Bethel Island, Knightsen and portions of Antioch, plus portions of Dublin in Alameda County. DeSaulnier currently represents portions of Antioch and will continue to do so if re-elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.

“Throughout my time in Congress, my guiding principle has always been this: I work for you,” said Congressman DeSaulnier. “It’s been my honor to represent this area for nearly three decades, on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, in the California State Legislature, and for the past six years as a Member of Congress. My priority has always been serving the people of Contra Costa and making our voices heard during the tough fights, when it matters most.”

DeSaulnier lives in Concord where he raised his two sons, Tristan and Tucker, and opened and operated a small business, TR’s restaurant.

He’s also spent three decades as a public servant: representing his community on the Concord City Council, as Mayor of Concord, as a three-term Contra Costa County Supervisor, in the California State Legislature, and currently as a Member of Congress.

As Supervisor, he served on the California Air Resources Board, the Association of Bay Area Governments, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He was elected to the State Assembly in 2006 where he served one term and received the distinction of being the first freshman in history to chair the Assembly Transportation Committee. DeSaulnier was elected to two terms in the California State Senate in 2008 and 2012 where he served as Chair of the California State Senate Transportation and Housing Committee. During his time in Congress, DeSaulnier has been honored to represent California’s 11th Congressional District including Richmond, El Cerrito, Kensington, and Pittsburg, now in the new 8th District, and looks forward to continuing to serve them in 2022.

Congressman DeSaulnier is running for re-election to fight against the reckless Republican agenda and move our nation forward by:

• Ensuring every American has access to quality, affordable health insurance and care;
• Confronting racial injustice;
• Creating national common sense gun violence reforms;
• Helping America’s students receive a quality education without being shackled by debt;
• Protecting Medicare and Social Security;
• Safeguarding the environment;
• Overseeing the largest investment in our nation’s infrastructure in modern history, and
• Ensuring government is accountable to the public.

The campaign is proud to announce the following endorsements:

• Alex Padilla, United States Senator for California
• Karen Bass, United States Representative (CA)
• Jared Huffman, United States Representative (CA)
• Barbara Lee, United States Representative (CA)
• Doris Matsui, United States Representative (CA)
• Eric Swalwell, United States Representative (CA)
• Mike Thompson, United States Representative (CA)
• George Miller, Former United States Representative (CA)
• Rosa DeLauro, United States Representative (CT)
• Betty T. Yee, California State Controller
• Ricardo Lara, California Insurance Commissioner
• Rob Bonta, Attorney General of California
• Tony Thurmond, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Tom Torlakson, Former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction
• Steve Glazer, California State Senator
• Rebecca Bauer-Kahan, California State Assemblymember
• Tim Grayson, California State Assemblymember
• Diane Burgis, Supervisor, Contra Costa County
• Federal Glover, Supervisor, Contra Costa County
• John Gioia, Supervisor, Contra Costa County
• Karen Mitchoff, Supervisor, Contra Costa County
• Diana Becton, District Attorney, Contra Costa County
• Lynn Mackey, Superintendent of Schools, Contra Costa County
• Holly Tillman, Vice Mayor, City of Clayton
• Julie Pierce, Former Mayor, City of Clayton
• Dominic Aliano, Mayor, City of Concord
• Carlyn Obringer, Council Member, City of Concord
• Edi E. Birsan, Council Member, City of Concord
• Tim McGallian, Council Member, City of Concord
• Newell Arnerich, Mayor, Town of Danville
• Teresa Gerringer, Mayor, City of Lafayette
• Susan Candell, Council Member, City of Lafayette
• Cameron Burks, Former Council Member, City of Lafayette
• Rob Shroder, Mayor of the City of Martinez
• Lara DeLaney, Council Member, City of Martinez
• Mark Ross, Council Member, City of Martinez
• Dennis Fay, Mayor, City of Orinda
• Amy R. Worth, Council Member, City of Orinda
• Inga Miller, Council Member, City of Orinda
• Kevin Wilk, Council Member, City of Walnut Creek
• Cindy Darling, Council Member, City of Walnut Creek
• Michael Harris, Mayor, City of Pleasant Hill
• Sue Noack, Council Member, City of Pleasant Hill
• Matthew Rinn, Council Member, City of Pleasant Hill
• Ken Carlson, Councilmember, City of Pleasant Hill
• Merl Craft, Council Member, City of Pittsburg
• Tom Butt, Mayor, City of Richmond
• Gabriel Quinto, Mayor, City of El Cerrito
• Lisa Motoyama, Mayor Pro Tem, City of El Cerrito
• Janet Abelson, Council Member, City of El Cerrito
• Paul Fadelli, Council Member, City of El Cerrito
• Rita Xavier, Mayor, City of San Pablo
• Abel Pineda, Council Member, City of San Pablo
• Linda Mayo, Trustee, Mt. Diablo Unified School District
• Mae Torlakson, Vice Chair, Ambrose Recreation and Park District in Bay Point
• Judy Walters, Ph.D., President, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board
• Fernando Sandoval, Vice President, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board
• Rebecca Barrett, Board Trustee, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board
• Andy Li, Board Trustee, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board
• John E. Marquez, Board Trustee, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board

 

SACRAMENTO – To fulfill their commitment made in June, the founders of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), C.C. and Regina Yin, presented a donation of $10,000 for the Antioch Chinese History Museum and Planning Project in December. The Yin’s commitment was made during the signing ceremony of the Antioch City Council’s resolution apologizing for the city’s residents for their racism against Chinese immigrants in the late 1800’s. (See related article)

Other APAPA leaders, Henry Yin, Chair of the APAPA Bay Area Region, Marsha Golangco, Chair of the APAPA Tri-Valley Chapter, Joe Johal, National Board Member, and APAPA National Executive Director Henry Chang joined the Yin family at the APAPA National Headquarters in Sacramento on December 14, 2021, to present the donation to Antioch community leaders and elected officials.

Dwayne Eubanks, president of the Antioch Historical Museum and Hansel Ho, representing Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe also presented a certificate of appreciation to APAPA. The $10,000 donation will be used to establish a Chinese historical exhibit at the museum in Antioch.

Earlier in the year, the Antioch City Council issued a formal apology to all early Chinese immigrants and their early descendants hoping to rectify the lingering consequences of the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants that took place more than 140 years ago. Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe presented the apology and resolution to the community and supporters, including the Yins, representing APAPA. City leaders also pledged to create a Chinatown Historic District to include murals and museum exhibits to highlight the city’s vast and important Asian history and contributions.

Chinese immigrants arrived during the Gold Rush, and many were instrumental in the construction of the U.S. transcontinental railroad and building the Delta’s levee system resulting in the reclaiming of over 550,000 acres on over 50 man-made islands. While Chinese immigrants made positive contributions to California’s history during this time period, they were demonized and often mistreated. According to media reports at the time, Antioch’s Chinatown was burned to the ground and Chinese immigrants were forced to follow a county law that did not allow them to be outside after sundown.

“While the injustices of the past cannot erase Antioch’s dark history, the admission of racial wrongdoings is a critical step in healing. APAPA commends Antioch city leaders for being the first city in California to issue a formal apology to Chinese immigrants and descendants for the past discrimination and injustices,” said C.C. and Regina Yin. “The city’s pledge to build a Chinese historical district will help to educate many about our rich history and we are delighted to see this APAPA donation go toward a good cause. Our wish now is to move towards a brighter future to build a stronger state and country.”

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Deadline to submit nominations is January 31st

The Antioch Chamber of Commerce will be celebrating outstanding citizens, businesses, youth, organizations and COVID Heroes at this year’s Inaugural Gala and Recognition Dinner. This premier event will be held on Friday, March 11th at the Lone Tree Golf and Event Center.

The Chamber is looking for your help with nominations so that we can recognize those that went above and beyond. There are so many citizens that stepped up during the tumultuous times that have come with the COVID-19 virus, and we want to say thank you to them.

The evening will recognize Citizen of the Year-Lifetime Achievement and Most Impact; Business of the Year – large and small; Youth of the Year, Non-Profit of the Year and we are adding a special category this year specific to COVID Heroes. It is time to celebrate and thank those members of our community that have risen to the occasion and become our heroes.

If you know of a Citizen, Business, Student or Non-Profit that you would like to recognize, please visit https://antiochchamber.com/2022-inaugural-gala-and-awards-ceremony/ to download the application that best fits and submit to our office by January 31, 2022, or download them, here:

Antioch Chamber Citizen of the Year for 2021 nom form

Antioch Chamber Business of the Year for 2021 nom form

Antioch Chamber Youth of the Year for 2021 nom form

Antioch Chamber Non-Profit of the Year for 2021 nom form

Antioch Chamber COVID Hero nom form

About the Chamber

Since 1938, the Antioch Chamber of Commerce has been providing services to local businesses to help them –and our city – succeed. The mission of the Chamber is to promote the Antioch Community, to represent and advocate for businesses with government, to help businesses to grow and to thrive through networking and educational opportunities, and to help create economic growth and jobs for our region. For more information about the Chamber, its members, and its services, visit www.antiochchamber.com.

Public input requested; legislatively designated for over 62 years

The proposed State Route 239 Project will provide a new, four-lane highway from State Route 4 at Marsh Creek Road in Contra Costa County to Interstate 580 in Alameda County or Interstate 205 in San Joaquin County. This new state route will ultimately improve the transportation network for an area that has few viable north-south roadway connections in this approximately 17-mile stretch between eastern Contra Costa and the Central Valley.

This project is sponsored by the Contra Costa County Transportation Authority (CCTA) in partnership with Contra Costa County and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) – District 4. The proposed State Route 239 Project is critical to the region and needed to provide relief from increasing commute traffic through the town of Byron, enhance mobility in eastern Contra Costa, and improve access to the Byron Airport.

Brief History

State Route 239 has been a legislatively designated route since 1959. In 2005, Contra Costa County secured federal funds to initiate a feasibility study and a project initiation document (PID). The PID was completed in 2015 and the environmental study phase has been initiated.

Why Now?

Supporting the growing communities of eastern Contra Costa County and providing mobility options for the area are two key reasons to implement this corridor. It will serve as an important backbone for the region while helping people who live and work in eastern Contra Costa County (including Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Byron, and Discovery Bay) and western San Joaquin County (including Tracy and Mountain House) connect, move and prosper.

Considerations

During the study phase of this project, which occurred between the spring of 2012 and the winter of 2013, a variety of stakeholder meetings were held, and several important themes emerged, including consideration of how a new route in eastern Contra Costa might affect conservation areas, agricultural lands, bird flight paths, and growth in the area. These considerations are still important, today and have set the stage for continued outreach during future project development phases.

Environmental Phase

Caltrans and CCTA are currently engaged in the environmental phase of the project development process for the State Route 239 Project. During this phase, the team will study and analyze all environmental impacts for the project area and will prepare a Draft Environmental Impact Report/ Environmental Impact Statement (EIR/EIS) for public review and comment in 2023.

The public is invited to join the conversation about the environmental scoping phase of the State Route 239 Project during the public comment period.

COMMENT PERIOD: DECEMBER 17, 2021- FEBRUARY 4, 2022

The State Route 239 Project is offering an environmental scoping virtual open house. The purpose of environmental scoping is to identify the environmental topics that the project team should study to assess the potential environmental impacts of a construction project. Public input on this project will be critical for ensuring the SR 239 project team’s studies are comprehensive and thorough. Within the website you will be able to review informational materials about this phase of the work.

Please use the online comment form provided to send your thoughts and questions to the project team.

Virtual Environmental Scoping Meeting

Live presentation and Q&A session scheduled for January 20, 2022 at 5:30 p.m.

Recorded scoping presentation will be posted on the page on January 21, 2022.

On January 20, 2022, please visit the website for a link to the interactive virtual scoping meeting that will start at 5:30 p.m. Visitors will be permitted to join the meeting 15 minutes before the start time. The team will make a presentation about this project and a panel of experts will be available to answer your questions about State Route 239.

For additional information about this project, please contact Stephanie Hu – Director, Projects at stephanieh@ccta.net.

 

 

By Allen Payton

According to Antioch Police Corporal Colley, on Thursday afternoon, a client of the BAART methadone clinic located next to the 7-11 on Sunset Lane at Davison Drive went and sat on an air conditioning unit outside a residence on Rainier Lane. A resident told him to leave and went back inside the residence, grabbed a gun and shot it into the air. That man was arrested by Antioch Police for discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, brandishing a firearm and criminal threats.

No one was shot and there was no property damage, Colley added.

By Better Business Bureau

The US Food and Drug Administration is warning people of fraudulent coronavirus tests, vaccines, and treatments as the pandemic continues. According to the Centers for Disease Control, since the arrival of the Omicron variant, the increase of testing for COVID-19 has become a concern. Scarcity often leads to potential scams for a product that doesn’t exist, the compromise of personal identifiable information, or the increase of deceptive advertising.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) issued a warning last year about potential fraud related to the antibody tests. Scammers are selling unapproved COVID-19 antibody tests, which can give inaccurate results. In doing so, they are also collecting personal information, such as Social Security numbers and dates of birth. They may also be stealing health insurance or Medicare information that can be used in future schemes.

How the scam works

Robocalls are sent out to consumers directing them to a website that looks like a clinic or medical supply company offering COVID-19 tests. These tests allegedly identify if a person has been infected with coronavirus – even if they’ve  recovered. Some even promise results in 10 minutes. However, to receive a test, a credit card or a form needs to be completed with personal information.

In some cases, the test involves an easy at-home testing kit. Other times, the tests are allegedly offered through a clinic. But in all versions, the person or website selling the test is short on details. They aren’t willing or able to provide any information about how the test works, where it is sourced, and what laboratory processes it.

Don’t fall for it! These tests are not US Food and Drug Administration approved and will not give accurate results. In fact, requestors may never even receive an actual test kit. Either way, scammers will have made off with the money and personal information.

In a new twist, Newsweek reports that scammers appeared at a testing site in Florida and conducted fake tests to people standing in line, as a ruse to get their personal information.

How to avoid fake coronavirus tests and related scams

• Want a test? Talk to your doctor. Reach out to your healthcare provider. They can help figure out if the test will be covered by insurance and where to find a legitimate clinic.  If you don’t have a primary care physician, check out the official website of your local health department for more information on testing availability.
• Research before buying. Scammers put pressure on people to buy or commit without giving them time to do further research. Before agreeing to anything, investigate first. Research any claims the company makes. Start with searching BBB.org to see they are BBB Accredited, have good reviews, and if there are complaints or scam reports associated with their business name. In addition, review the warnings on FBI, Federal Trade Commission, Attorney General’s office, and BBB ScamTracker.
• Understand all options: The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has a detailed guide to testing for COVID-19. Understand the different tests available.
• Never share your personal information with strangers. Only make purchases and share your personal information with people and companies you know and trust. Be wary of anyone approaching you in line; ask for credentials if necessary. If you suspect  your personal information has been compromised, report it to identitytheft.gov
• Check claims of FDA approval. Per the FBI, “Not all COVID-19 antibody tests have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and their efficacy has not been determined.” Check the FDA website for a list of approved tests and testing companies.

For More Information

BBB has additional tips for avoiding scams on BBB.org/spotascam and the BBB news feed.

If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it on the BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others to stay alert and avoid similar scams.

 

While supply lasts

The spread of the omicron COVID-19 variant after the holidays has caused widespread demand for COVID testing kits. CVS and Walgreens are now limiting how many at-home tests customers can buy.

The lack of availability is prompting Contra Costa County Supervisors to take action.

This week, Supervisor Diane Burgis’ office is distributing at-home test kits for free to those who have struggled to find them. The test kits will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

Due to the high demand, we are limiting the test kits to two per family (four tests – each kit contains two tests). We will continue to distribute the COVID-19 test kits as long as supplies last.

Burgis has distributed thousands of COVID tests so far, delivering to local businesses, restaurants, and churches in District 3, and is hoping the supply from the county’s health services can keep up with the demand.

District 3 is working with the City of Oakley to help distribute the at-home test kits at a drive-through event at the Oakley Recreation Center on O’Hara Ave., the event will be held Thursday, January 6, 2022, from 1-4 pm (or while the supply of test kits lasts).

Free At-Home COVID Test Kits – Drive Through Event

Oakley Recreation Center

1250 O’Hara Ave in Oakley

Thursday, January 6, 2022

1:00PM – 4:00PM