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1st
Jul 2020

Scam Alerts With Regard to the Coronavirus

 
Vaccine:  A phone and social media based scam targets people by purporting to be from a medical organization, such as a hospital or the CDC, claiming to have a dose of COVID-19 vaccine ready for the target of the scam. The scammer generally then seeks an over-the-phone payment. No vaccine has been developed to prevent COVID-19.
 
Charities:  Charity scams are common regardless of what’s happening in the news, but fraudsters follow the headlines, and coronavirus is a prime way for them to claim they are gathering donations for families that have been affected by the virus or the economic fallout. Research any potential charity, and never give donations through cash or gift cards or by wiring money.
 
News:  The coronavirus crisis is rapidly evolving, and many people are eager to make sure they have the most up-to-date information. But it’s still important to avoid exposing your devices to harm, such as malware and viruses. For instance, an email scam uses the logo of the World Health Organization to lure users into clicking on a button that unleashes malware, and another uses a mimic of the popular Johns Hopkins University coronavirus map to install spyware that can steal passwords, credit card numbers and other data stored within the web browser.
 
Closely analyze any URL that you click on to be sure it’s actually connected to the source; in the case of the fake map, instead of routing to a Johns Hopkins-affiliated site, the fraudsters point to Corona-Virus-Map.com.
 
Services:  A tactic similar to the vaccine scam, many fraudsters call or email posing as professional cleaners or similar service providers, offering to sanitize homes or businesses. While there are businesses that specialize in this service, they are not engaged in randomly calling potential customers out of the blue. Reputable businesses don’t engage in hard sells or pressure tactics, particularly if they claim to want to help during this difficult time.
 
Cures:  Though not a scam in the same way that fraudsters use email to target people, many businesses have attempted to sell their existing products as treatments or even cures for COVID-19. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have issued warnings against at least seven companies that the agencies say have been misbranding products as treatments or preventives against coronavirus. Products include teas, essential oils, and colloidal silver. No vaccines exist, and no drugs are currently available that can prevent or treat coronavirus itself.