The domain FTBAgency.com was registered on June 12, 2020 and it hosted content about how face masks are supposedly harmful to one’s health, and a violation of people’s rights.
The so-called “Freedom to Breathe Agency” project shared a fake card claiming to give its bearer rights to not wear a mask when visiting various establishments. A matching Facebook group was quickly shut down after it was reported for spreading misinformation. The web site used “eagle” logos and the phone number of the Department of Justice.
The SLO County Public Health Department is warning residents that various cards claiming to exempt the holder from California’s face covering ordinance are fraudulent and not endorsed by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Chief epidemiologists, including immunologist Dr. Anthony Fauci, strongly recommend the use of masks during this ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
“Do not be fooled by the chicanery and misappropriation of the DOJ eagle,” said Matthew G T Martin, the US attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina. “These cards do not carry the force of law. The ‘Freedom to Breathe Agency’, or ‘FTBA’, is not a government agency.”
The founder of the Freedom to Breathe Agency, Lenka Koloma, advertised the cards on her Facebook page, and they were sold on a site created through the commerce platform Shopify. The site was unavailable on Sunday afternoon.
“Shopify takes concerns around the goods and services made available by merchants on our platform very seriously,” a company spokeswoman, Sheryl So, said. “We have multiple teams who handle potential violations of Shopify’s Acceptable Use Policy, including malicious and deceptive practices.”
Read more details about FTBAgency.com.
