Coronavirus Scams

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Coronavirus Scams

In the last few weeks, there has been a surge of offers for fake “cures”, scam investments and “phishing” to capture personal data. Some can be clever, so its important for a few reminders about emails, texts and social media posts from fake charities, nonexistent health agencies, and imaginary treatments.

Clicking a link about COVID-19 or Coronavirus can possibly lead to downloading a computer virus. This is a good time to check that you have the latest malware detection software installed on your computer and phone. Remember you can “hover” your cursor over a link to see the entire link previewed.

As always, watch out for misspellings, grammatical errors, and the old “is this too good to be true” test. If in doubt, find the website of the organization named and check their website (not the link in the email) to verify. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or World Health Organization are not sending alarmist emails asking for your money or data.

Also, any cures or treatments will be communicated by multiple news sources. Anyone offering shares in a company on the edge of a breakthrough is likely just trying to break through to your bank account.

As for donating to charities, follow the same guidelines. Verify by visiting the organizations’ websites or even call them. You can help stop scammers by reporting suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

If you believe you have been a victim of this type of scam you should promptly report it to the IC3's website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3's complaint database links complaints together to refer them to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration.

Remember - always watch for scams!