Mask-exemption cards are fake and fraudulent, Minnesotans warned

Minnesotans were warned Friday to be on the lookout for fake and fraudulent cards that claim the Americans With Disabilities Act allows those bearing them to forgo face masks.

Many of the mask-exemption cards, fliers or postings, which have gone viral in internet circulation, include the U.S. Department of Justice seal, U.S. Attorney Erica MacDonald said in a news release. That agency did not issue them and does not endorse them, and misuse of its seal is a federal crime, MacDonald said.

Many states have issued consumer warnings about the fake cards.

MacDonald urged the public to go to ADA.gov for official information about the Americans With Disabilities Act, or to call the ADA's information line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) and 1-800-514-0383 (TTY).

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul require the wearing of face masks at indoor businesses, a move recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The unlawful cards will be investigated by the state's COVID-19 Action Team, a coalition of the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Minnesota Attorney General's Office and the Minnesota County Attorneys Association.