Fraudsters Taking Advantage of COVID-19 Fears As with any disaster, fear is used by unsavory people and organizations to scam us out of our hard-working money. The COVID-19 health emergency has led to a variety of new scams popping up in our emails and in those pesky unsolicited phone calls. Some of the scams that have begun include scams involving vaccinations for sale, requests for donations to help fund a vaccine, offer of vital supplies being for sale (i.e. masks, hand sanitizer, and gloves), and unsolicited work from home emails. Take precautions to avoid falling for these scams. Do your research before sending money to an unknown location. Report any suspicious emails or phone calls to ftc.gov/complaint.
Tips from the Federal Trade Commission: • Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device. • Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). • Ignore online offers for vaccinations. There currently are no vaccines, pills, potions, lotions, lozenges or other prescription or over-the-counter products available to treat or cure Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — online or in stores. • Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it!