Thread by @doctorow

Here's a thing that's been puzzling me: about 10 days ago, we started to see "Free PCR Test" sidewalk tents all over LA. Some had long lines, some didn't. While sidewalk testing may seem sus, there were some reassuring factors:

They weren't collecting SSNs, insurance info, or credit cards. They didn't ask you to create a password on the spot (which might be a prelude to credential stuffing attack).

And if this was a big store, it was an elaborate one: they had swabs and test-tubes (during a period of global shortage!), sample bags, etc. That's a lot of materiel if the purpose was to collect name, DOB and address, which you can get in bulk for pennies on darkweb forums.

As far as I can tell, none of these test sites ever produced a test result, which suggests that the whole thing was some kind of scam.

But what kind?

Were they collecting DNA? What's the secondary market for DNA?

Were they partnered with a lab that turned out to be a scam or overloaded or whatever?

I've talked to some experts and these weren't just in LA, they were nationwide, and some DID collect insurance info or used tablets that required users to generate on-the-spot passwords.

And NONE of them seem to have produced results. Was this coordinated? If so, it was run by a heavily resourced enterprise, but one that was acting with seeming economic irrationality, which begs the question, how did a bunch of bumblers amass the capital for this stunt?

Or was it a bunch of copycats, and if so, what upside was so glaringly obvious to all these unconnected actors, but completely inscrutable to me and every expert I've queried?

Setting up a nationwide network of fake nose-swab labs is a LOT of work to get phone numbers and home addresses, especially since you're ONLY collecting PII from marks who are willing to line up for free tests.

I could see a fake "$500 concierge service PCR rapid test" system penciling out, but this?

I was reminded of this by today's @planetmoney ep in which one of their correspondents also got scammed (?) by this wheeze.

npr.org/2022/01/14/107…

They ALSO had no explanation for it.

It's a very weird mystery. Prank? Genius scam perpetrated by 11-dimensional chess playing identity thieves? Self-deluded scam perpetrated by mysteriously high-resourced bunglers? A prelude to a new wave of genecrime?

I have no idea.

None.

This seems to be the answer - a scammy MLM founded by a couple whose previous gig was operating "axe-throwing lounges" blockclubchicago.org/2022/01/13/cen…