Get our free mobile app Way back at the very beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, N95 face masks made by 3M were the gold standard of coronavirus protection. Because of their superior filtration abilities and the high cost of buying one due to their scarcity - wearing one in public was almost seen as a status symbol. I never thought I'd live to see the day in which the trappings of wealth would include the crème de la crème of face coverings - but here we are. This is where the disgusting, yet all-too-predictable side of human nature comes in to play. When ever some object becomes insanely valuable, we see the dregs of society commit crimes in of a very specific sort. They either copy and/or counterfeit the original, or they use the allure of said item to con the gullible out of their hard-earned cash.