Police Warn Of Scammers Asking For Personal Info At Sarasota COVID-19 Testing Site

Updated: 9:58 a.m., Sunday

SARASOTA, FL — Potential scammers asking for personal information and handing out fake testing kits were reported at a Sarasota County COVID-19 testing site, Sarasota police shared on Facebook Friday.

A Venice man, David Andrew Auxier, said that “two suspicious people” - a man and a woman - shared online links asking for personal information and handed out COVID-19 testing kits to some people waiting to get tested at the Ed Smith Stadium site at 2700 12th Street in Sarasota on Wednesday morning, according to a police report.

Auxier shared a screenshot of the website provided by the man and woman for a company called “Oak Crest Laboratory Services, Inc.” with police.

The stadium testing site is operated by Real Diagnostics, G. Steve Huard, public information officer for the Florida Department of Health in Sarasota County, said.

Investigators didn’t find anyone matching the description of the man and woman at the testing site, police said.

While the testing site’s managers said they have several case workers gathering insurance information from those waiting in the car line, none working that day matched the description of the man and woman reported by Auxier, according to the police report.

“Be aware of potential scammers. If you feel unsafe, wait to get into the testing area and ask for credentials,” police wrote on Facebook.

The scams come during Florida’s current surge in COVID-19 cases as many residents and visitors scramble to get tested for the virus.

Florida reported another 75,962 new coronavirus cases Friday, smashing the state’s record for single-day reporting of cases for the fifth time in a week, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Data from the Florida Department of Health shows 298,455 new cases and a new case positivity rate of 26.5 percent reported in Florida from Dec. 24-30.

In Sarasota County, 2,749 new cases and a 16.5 percent new case positivity rate were reported during this period.

The coronavirus testing site at Ed Smith Stadium reopened Sunday at 9 a.m. It "unexpectedly closed" Friday morning, Huard said in an email, and remained closed as planned for New Year’s Day. This drive-thru site offers PCR tests daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

No reason for the closure was provided. Patch has reached out to Huard for additional information.

The following testing sites will reopen Monday following the holiday:

• Former Sarasota Kennel Club, 5400 Bradenton Road, Sarasota. This drive-thru site offers both PCR and rapid tests Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Robert L. Taylor Community Complex parking lot, 1845 34th Street, Sarasota. This walk-up site offers PCR and rapid tests Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Dallas White Park, 5900 Greenwood Ave., North Port. This walk-up site offers PCR and rapid tests Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

No appointments are needed. Rapid tests at the Taylor Community Complex and Dallas White Park are for first responders and school-aged children only.

Select pharmacies and other health care facilities in Sarasota County also offer testing including:

• America's Pharmacy
• CVS
• Ellenton Urgent Care
• MCR Health
• Quest Diagnostics
• Sarasota Memorial Urgent Care Centers
• Walgreens