Coronavirus (COVID-19)Telephone Scams and More

Coronavirus (COVID-19)Telephone Scams and More

When times are tough and people are afraid, one thing you can count on is that miscreants will be out looking for easy money by taking advantage of uncertainty and fear. The current coronavirus pandemic has become a virtual gold mine for scammers who prey on the innocent and trusting.

Our mission is to keep you safe. And as we have always said the best thing you can do to stay safe and avoid falling for scams is to use your common sense and stay informed. In the interest of keeping you informed, we are posting a few phone scams complete with audio and transcripts, so should you get one of these calls, you won’t be a victim.

(If you want to skip directly to the sample recordings of phone scams click here.)

According to the FCC…

As the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact the United States, phone scammers have seized the opportunity to prey on consumers.

The FCC has received reports of scam and hoax text message campaigns and scam robocalls offering free home testing kits, promoting bogus cures, selling health insurance, and preying on virus-related fears.

A text message scam may falsely advertise a cure or an offer to be tested for coronavirus. Do not click on links in texts related to the virus, and check cdc.gov/coronavirus for the most current information.

Text message hoaxes may claim that the government will order a mandatory national two-week quarantine, or instruct you to go out and stock up on supplies. The messages can appear to be from a “next door neighbor.” The National Security Council tweeted that these are fake.

A text message scam impersonating the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informs recipients that they must take a “mandatory online COVID-19 test” with a link, warns the BBB.

Scammers are also using robocalls to target consumers during this national emergency.

For example, the World Health Organization recently issued a warning about criminals seeking to take advantage of the pandemic to steal money or sensitive personal information from consumers. It urges people to be wary of phone calls and text messages that purport to be from the WHO, or charity organizations, asking for account information or for money.

The FCC has received reports of robocalls purporting to offer free virus test kits, in an effort to collect consumers’ personal and health insurance information. One pernicious version of this scam is targeting higher risk individuals with diabetes, offering a free COVID-19 testing kit along with a free diabetic monitor. Other robocalls are marketing fake cures and asking for payment over the phone.

If you think you’ve been a victim of a coronavirus scam, contact law enforcement immediately.

The FCC offers the following tips to help you protect yourself from scams, including coronavirus scams:

• 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. (Learn more about charity scams.)

For more information about scam calls and texts, visit the FCC Consumer Help Center and the FCC Scam Glossary. You can also file a complaint about such scams at fcc.gov/complaints.

Forewarned is forearmed… so here’s to keeping you safe…

Test Kit Phone Scam

TRANSCRIPT: (The Coronavirus) Response Act has made coronavirus testing more accessible immediately. If you want to receive a free testing kit delivered overnight to your home, press 1. If you do not want your free testing, press 2.(Audio source: YouMail)

Corona Virus Student Loan Scam

TRANSCRIPT: Hello, this is Brad … with an important message regarding the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on your student loans. As you may have already heard, President Trump invoked his power as commander-in-chief by declaring a national emergency due to the widespread impact of COVID-19. New measures will include waiving interest on your federal student loans until further notice. During this time our offices have continued to maintain full staffing levels and will continue to do so until further notice. For more information on how these new measures will impact your future payment obligations, call us back today at 855-264-XXXX before 6:00 PM Pacific Standard Time. Thanks, and have a great day (Audio source: Nomorobo)

And this is a common scam distributed on social media and by email…