【Pilar Coll】

Well that didn't take long.

Less than 24 hours after the United States Postal Service launched an official website for Americans to request free rapid coronavirus tests,Pilar Coll websites with suspiciously similar URLs are trying to lure people into purchasing pricey tests. That's right, the scammers are here.

For the record, the official government website for ordering free rapid tests is https://www.covidtests.gov/ (a link on that page takes visitors to https://special.usps.com/testkits). Despite the similarity, sites like covidtestsgov.com are notofficial government sites — and in fact links out to expensive rapid tests for sale.

Yeah, don't go here. Credit: Screenshot: covidtestsgov.com

And we do mean expensive. Clicking through covidtestsgov.com's "At Home COVID Test Kits" option will bring a would-be visitor to another site where rapid tests are listed for $39.97 per two pack. Again, the USPS will mail up to four tests per household free of charge.

Free, or $399.97? Credit: Screenshot: Medident Supplies

Last week, the Federal Trade Commission warned of fake in-person coronavirus testing sites. The issue of fake testing locations, in other words, is very much on the government's radar.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Notably, according to a WHOIS lookup, covidtestsgov.com was only registered on Jan. 13, 2022. Meaning, in all likelihood, the strikingly similar URL is no coincidence. Rather, it suggests an attempt to snatch up possible lookalike URLs ahead of the White House's announcement of the official free COVID test webpage.

And covidtestsgov.com isn't the only COVID testing website with an eyebrow-raising URL.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

We reached out to USPS and asked if it had any comment on these lookalike URLs, but received no immediate response. We also reached out to the White House press office in an attempt to determine why the administration's plan didn't involve locking down similar URLs ahead of the https://www.covidtests.gov/ website launch, but were unable to get anyone on the phone.

SEE ALSO: Here's how to get free COVID tests delivered to your door right now

That someone might register official-looking URLs in a bid to fleece Americans during a time of crisis should not have caught the White House by surprise. Indeed, it's a sad tradition dating at least back to the days of Hurricane Katrina.

Hopefully we've all learned something in the intervening 16 years — even if our elected officials haven't.

Topics COVID-19

• Deals
• Social Good
• Life
• Games
• Shopping
• Tech
• Entertainment
• Digital Culture

• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 9, 2025
• Twitter pulls the plug on vibe checks
• Sarah Silverman and Kumail Nanjiani just had the best Twitter exchange
• This princess just became the first British royal to create a personal Instagram
• Today's Hurdle hints and answers for May 5, 2025
• 'The New York Times' profiled the most selfish person in America
• Jared Kushner's brother makes a big donation to 'March For Our Lives'
• Jump start your holiday list with the Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Yoga, starting at $952
• Best robot vacuum deal: Save $140 on roborock Q7 Max Robot Vacuum
• Sarah Silverman and Kumail Nanjiani just had the best Twitter exchange

• Chris Brown releases new song less than a day after his arrest
• Sony's new headphones promise to drown out all outside noise
• One of those naked Trump statues could be yours
• This iPhone thong case will help you catch 'em all in 'Pokémon Go'
• You can buy this groovy, perfectly preserved 1970s
• Jon Favreau joins Marvel's 'Spider
• I kicked the crap out of Dyson’s new vacuums and they wouldn’t fall over
• Jabra's wireless earbuds double as heart rate monitors
• Watch Amy Schumer destroy a rude heckler during her stand
• Upset IT guy ends up in a hilarious Photoshop battle

• Samsung Unpacked stream is set for May 12, 2025
• Hands have never been so interesting, thanks to the 'Subway Hands' Instagram account
• Jennifer Lawrence is a germaphobe and thinks 'dick is dangerous'
• Twitter pulls the plug on vibe checks
• Watch how an old Venus spacecraft tumbled before crashing to Earth
• 'Succession' slays again with ruthless, relentless Season 3
• Guy maps 28 days of Tinder in 1 fascinating chart
• Elon Musk says he's inspired by Kanye West and Fred Astaire
• Amazon Prime Grubhub deal: Save $10 off orders of $20 or more
• Confused governor says looking at webpage's HTML is criminal hacking

• Character AI reveals AvatarFX, a new AI video generator
• All it takes is a styrofoam head to make a scarily accurate meme
• Trump's dead father mistake may be his most awkward moment this week
• Elon Musk says Starlink is 'talking to airlines' about adding satellite internet
• One of Android's Easter Eggs is a Flappy Bird
• Instagram will now let creators practice live videos
• What to know about storing 'verifiable' COVID vaccine records in your Apple Wallet
• Selena Gomez privately put Facebook execs on blast in 2020 for all the hateful content
• Wordle today: The answer and hints for April 14, 2025
• London's transport system launches its first ever Black History Tube map