A 23-year-old West Wollongong man has been charged with fraud after allegedly faking he had COVID-19 to skip going to work.
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Police said the man sent a text message to his Wollongong-based boss about 4.15am on Monday, August 2, saying he had contracted the deadly virus and was unable to travel to Newcastle for work.
His company "did the right thing" and enacted their COVID-19 policies, standing co-workers down to self-isolate while awaiting their test results, and deep cleaned their premises, according to Wollongong Police District's Acting Superintendent Brad Ainsworth.
"As a result of that NSW Health became aware and conducted their own investigation," he said.
"There's a financial cost to it, there's a personal cost to the employees being laid off ... there's a lot of fallout from it."
Later that day, the man allegedly sent another text to his employer advising his second test returned a negative result.
Subsequent inquiries confirmed the man had never received a positive test result.
About 1pm on Thursday the man was arrested and charged with conveying false information that a person or property is in danger, which can carry up to five years imprisonment.
"Everybody wants to get out of lockdown; the continual message and theme ... is to do the right thing," Superintendent Ainsworth said.
"Don't think about bending the rules - you're going to affect yourself and the broader community and people have had enough already
The alleged offender was granted bail to appear in Wollongong Local Court on September 14.
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