Jourdan Vian: Be wary of scammers taking advantage of COVID-19 fears
Their industry is thriving. They see a world of uncertainty and fear as a playground, where they can step in and help separate vulnerable people from their diminishing dollars.
I'm talking, of course, about scammers, who are using COVID-19 to steal as much as they can. Because they are just that dedicated to screwing people over.
Isn't it just great how a good virus can't keep a great scammer down?
The
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According to the
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I really do not want to know what you would get delivered to your home, but rest assured it won't be a government-provided free testing kit. You still need to talk to your doctor about that if you have symptoms.
A particularly pernicious version of the scam is targeting higher risk people with diabetes, offering both free COVID-19 testing and a free diabetic monitor in exchange for personal and health insurance information.
Another scam is a new twist on the classic
If you get a text claiming to be a forward "from my next-door neighbor" about the president ordering a mandatory two-week quarantine enforced by the military, please do not forward to your network. It's fake. I can't quite figure out exactly what they hope to accomplish other than freak people out, but feel free to disregard it. Stick to trusted news organization like the
Particularly disgusting fraudsters are preying on people's financial fears as people can't work due to the coronavirus.
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Small businesses are also getting scam calls and need to be on the lookout.
Some of these fraudsters are even going so far as to pretend to be charitable organizations. The
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The fact that this is happening is very depressing right now. I'd like to think we're all working together and looking out for one another during this time, and plenty of people are. But some aren't. So here's the advice taken straight from the
* Do not respond to calls or texts from unknown numbers, or any others that appear suspicious.
* Never share your personal or financial information via email, text messages, or over the phone.
* Be cautious if you're being pressured to share any information or make a payment immediately.
* Scammers often spoof phone numbers to trick you into answering or responding.
* Remember that government agencies will never call you to ask for personal information or money.
* Do not click any links in a text message. If a friend sends you a text with a suspicious link that seems out of character, call them to make sure they weren't hacked.
* Always check on a charity (for example, by calling or looking at its actual website) before donating.
Also, contact law enforcement if you think you've been a victim of one of these scams.
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