Ohio Attorney General warns of fake 'NASA-approved' solar eclipse items
Ohioans looking for last minute glasses and items for the April 8 solar eclipse should be on the lookout for scams, said the Ohio Attorney General. The Ohio Attorney General has issued a warning about fake 'NASA-approved' solar eclipse glasses being sold on Amazon. The state attorney general's office received a complaint March 19 about the glasses, which claimed to be endorsed by the government. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) does not endorse these glasses and does not list approved glasses vendors online. The complainant stated that he had notified Amazon about the false glasses but they still remained for sale. Anyone with information about deceptive sales practices can contact the Ohio attorney General's office by calling 800-282-0515.
Published : 4 weeks ago by Max Filby in Politics Science
With the total solar eclipse just days away, the Ohio Attorney General is warning against glasses that claim to be endorsed by government agencies.
The state attorney general's office received a complaint March 19 about possibly fake glasses being sold on Amazon. The listing for the glasses stated that they were "NASA approved."
NASA does not endorse glasses, said Rick Fienberg, project manager for the solar eclipse task force of the American Astronomical Society (AAS), a Washington, D.C.-based organization that promotes scientific education and research. The AAS, however, does offer a list of approved glasses vendors online.
Read More:Don't be blinded by solar eclipse scams. Here's how Ohioans can spot them
The person who filed the complaint told the attorney general's office that he or she notified Amazon on March 5 and March 14 about the falsely-endorsed glasses, but that they still remained for sale.
"Amazon needs to respect public health and stop (the) spread of misinformation and unsafe products," the complainant wrote. "It needs to remove all questionable items and/or their fake claims."
Anyone who suspects a business is using deceptive sales practices can contact the Ohio Attorney General's office online or by calling 800-282-0515, a spokesperson told The Dispatch.
Ohioans who want to see the eclipse should beware taking a gander at it with the naked eye, according to NASA. Looking directly at the sun could "instantly cause severe eye injury," the space agency has stated.
Topics: Space, NASA