[COVID-19 Update] Face Mask Exemption Cards With Federal Seal on Them Are Fake, DOJ Claims

The US Justice Department warns Americans of counterfeit cards circulating online by a campaign urging people not to wear masks during the coronavirus pandemic.

The laminated cards display an eagle illustration and say "Face Mask Exempt Card" in bold overhead letters. These appear to target people seeking to circumvent state and business requirements to wear face masks or provide public service. The card frequently applies to the DOJ and the Disabled Americans Act.

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Freedom to Breathe Organization, what?

Some of the documents seem were released by a group calling itself the Freedom to Breathe Organization, according to TIME. Many photos of publicly circulated "face mask excluded" cards contain the statement: "Wearing a face mask posses a mental and/or physical risk to me. Under the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) I am not required to disclose my condition to you."

Many pictures also include the reporting number and seal of the DOJ, and the warning: "If found in violating the ADA you could face steep penalties."

The U.S. Middle District Attorney's Office of North Carolina posted an example of one of the cards, tweeting, "Fraudulent Facemask Flyers, 'Exempt' Cards not Authorized by U.S. Department of Justice."

The U.S. District of Maine Attorney's Office posted another example of a fraudulent "exception slip" in a tweet, saying the DOJ does not issue or endorse those documents. Suffice it to say that this organization is not a federal agency and that the Department of Justice has not issued or accepted such cards and flyers.

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Attorneys react to circulating news

The department, as well as other U.S. attorneys, have come out and saying they haven't given the cards, posting a statement directly on the ADA website.

"These postings were not issued by the Department and are not endorsed by the Department," the Justice Department wrote. "The Department urges the public not to rely on the information in these postings and to visit ADA.gov for ADA information issued by the Department."

Attorney Erica MacDonald released a statement on Friday's false face mask exemption papers and pointed their illegality. "The Department also has not granted permission for the use of its seal for this purpose. Misuse of the Department seal is a federal crime," MacDonald's office said.

MacDonald reiterated that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend wearing cloth face covers in areas where social distance may be difficult to maintain.

The CDC maintains that the coronavirus, which causes the COVID-19 disease, primarily spreads from person to person through respiratory droplets created when an infected person coughs , sneezes, talks or raises his voice. The droplets can land in other people's mouths or noses that are nearby or may be inhaled into the lungs, the CDC reports on its website.