Posted on

Watch Out For COVID19 Contact Tracing Scams

girl wearing blue face mask

Our worlds are inundated with Coronavirus news and information. It is easy to zone out and let information go in one ear and out the other. However, when you don’t process all of the information directed at you, it’s possible to let your guard down. If you don’t watch out for COVID19 contact tracing scams, you could have your identity stolen before you even know it. 

What Is A Contact Tracer?

A contact tracer is an employee of a state’s health department. Contact tracers are charged with the task of tracking individuals who are infected with COVID19 and those they may have come into contact with. A contact tracer will notify individuals that they may have come in to contact with an infected individual and they also work to ensure the infected follow quarantining guidelines.

If you’ve recently taken a COVID19 test, a contact tracer may contact you to discuss your results or to inform you that someone you know has tested positive. Some of the information a legitimate contact tracer may ask for includes:

  • People/Places you have visited
  • Name/Address
  • Your health information

Anyone asking for anything above and beyond the information above should draw an immediate red flag. 

How To Spot A Contact Tracing Scam

If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a contact tracer with your state’s health department, listen very carefully to the information they ask you for. Below are a few ways to protect yourself from a fraudulent contact tracer.

  • Never give a contact tracer money. A legitimate contact tracer would never ask you for money. Also, a tip for avoiding scams in general: anyone asking you to pay in gift cards, cryptocurrency or money orders/wire transfers is most likely a scam.
  • Do not provide your bank account or credit card information. Contact tracers have no need for any of your financial information.
  • Your immigration status is irrelevant. If someone claiming to be a contact tracer mentions your status as a citizen, hang up the phone.
  • Never provide your Social Security number. Contact tracers do not need your Social Security number. In fact, you should never give your SS# to anyone who contacts you out of the blue. Only provide sensitive information to 100% trusted individuals/entities.
  • Never click a link in an email or text. You risk downloading a virus or malware to your computer or device.

If you keep an eye out for the warning signs mentioned in this article you’re doing your best to watch out for COVID19 contact tracing scams. With so many out of work, you really must keep your guard up because scammers are out in full force.   

Posted on

Scams Involving Bitcoin Are Becoming More Popular

Stacks of Bitcoins

Cryptocurrency is an electronic form of money which has been on the rise for several years. The king of all cryptocurrency (as of now) is Bitcoin. ­At its height, one Bitcoin was worth almost $20 thousand. Well, scammers want a piece of this action and scams involving Bitcoin are becoming more popular. 

There are a few reasons why scammers would prefer to be paid in Bitcoin. First, the value of cryptocurrency fluctuates, like a stock. This gives the cryptocurrency the ability to grow in value. Second, cryptocurrency is completely digital, which affords the scammer almost complete privacy.

Scams Which May Ask You To Pay With Bitcoin

1. Chain Letter Scams. In this scam you will be asked to give money and then forward on to your friends or family. As the letter keeps getting forwarded and more people donate, you are promised that you will make more and more money. You’re almost assuredly throwing your money away with zero return on that investment. Many of these chain letter scams will ask you to pay in Bitcoin. Elderly individuals need to be especially careful with scams of this nature. 

2. Blackmail. You may receive a message from someone indicating that they have damaging information about you which will be released unless you pay up with Bitcoin. Oftentimes they will put as much pressure on you as possible to get you to pay quickly. Report these types of scams to the police, Federal Trade Commission and FBI. These types of scams fall under extortion and can be criminally prosecuted.

3. Business Investment Scams. One rule of thumb: If someone guarantees you will make money, it’s a scam. It’s impossible to guarantee you will make money because an investment is always a bit of a gamble. If someone offers you the ability to invest in a business with a guarantee of making money in return, don’t give them a dime – in Bitcoin or any kind of currency. 

Cryptocurrency may be the way of the future, but it is already the way of today for some scammers. Scams involving Bitcoin are becoming more popular, so keep your eyes open. 

Posted on

Scammers Want Your Coronavirus Stimulus Check

Masked woman at computer

Times are tough. Millions of Americans found themselves abruptly unemployed and wondering how to make ends meet. Thankfully, the government is set to send relief checks to relieve a bit of financial stress. Unfortunately, scammers want your Coronavirus stimulus check too. Over 13,000 complaints of COVID-19 related scams have already been reported to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Through April 7, $9.59 million in total fraud loss has been reported. You should learn the warning signs to look for In order to avoid being swindled. 

The IRS will never call, text or e-mail to ask for personal information. 

The same goes for your bank. If you receive a call or message asking for personal information, hang up. Scammers are using this time of financial stress to prey on Americans in need of this assistance. Some of your personal information may have already been obtained, possibly via the dark web, and one more piece of information could give them access to your money. If you want to double check the validity of the call or message, make note of the institution and caller then hang up. You can then call that institution directly and inform them of the call you received. If it was legitimate, the institution will have record of an attempt to contact you. 

Never allow someone to help you set up direct deposit. It isn’t necessary. 

Stimulus checks will be direct deposited via the banking information on file that was used to deposit tax refunds. If you’ve never received a tax return via direct deposit, a secure portal will be available later this month for you to submit your bank information. Never allow someone to do this for you or assist you with this. If you’re unable to submit your information through the portal, you will be mailed a paper check. 

 Never verify your check amount to anyone.

Specific guidelines are in place for how much money will be distributed to an individual. This information is determined by your tax return from 2018 if you haven’t filed your taxes for 2019. The IRS has all of the information it needs so you will never need to verify how much money you are supposed to receive. 

Anyone calling to inform you of an issue with your check should not be trusted.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has received audio of numerous different types of robocalls which are threatening Americans. These calls may demand payment for past-due taxes or issues with Social Security claims, among many others. As you’ve learned from previous bullet points, no one from the IRS or your bank will contact you for information or to give you information.

We wish you the best in these trying times. If you are expecting a paper check, keep a close eye on your mailbox. Scammers want your Coronavirus stimulus check and we hope the information in this article will help you stop that from happening. 

Posted on

How To Spot Coronavirus Scams

COVID-19 Microscope

In times of crisis, criminals will take advantage of mass hysteria and fear. One of the easiest times to scam an individual is when they aren’t thinking straight, or their judgement is clouded. We are currently living in a terrifying time with the COVID-19 outbreak, and scammers are out in full force. It is important that you learn how to spot Coronavirus scams before you get taken advantage of. Every day we are bombarded with information and you need to stay alert in order to stay safe.

Tips To Avoid Coronavirus Scams

  • Never click a link from a source you don’t know. Whether this link is in an e-mail, social media message or text message, never click the link unless you are 100 percent sure the sender is legitimate. Clicking a malicious link could download a virus to your computer or device. Phishing is one of the fastest growing forms of identity theft, and even more so due to quarantining.
  • Beware of fraudulent e-mails claiming to be from the CDC. One of the hottest scams are e-mails which claim to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) with information regarding the Coronavirus. Oftentimes, these e-mails will look very legitimate, but actually not be from the CDC. Even if the link in the e-mail says it is from cdc.gov, the link may take you to an entirely different website. 
  • Be wary of pushy charities. Any charity or persons of need who ask you to donate quickly should instantly draw a red flag. If you wish to donate, you should be able to do so at your own pace. Also, if you are asked to donate via money transfer, cash or gift card, this should also raise suspicions. Before you donate, you should research the charity you intend to give money to. A website like Charity Navigator can provide you with information on any legitimate charity.
  • Online offers claiming to have a vaccine should be ignored. If a vaccine were to have been completed for Coronavirus, do you think you’d first hear about it from an online advertisement? If you’re looking for up to date information on the Coronavirus, visit the CDC Official Site or World Health Organization (WHO).

In the coming days, weeks and months you will have lots of information and offers throw your way. Your best bet is to be suspicious of everything and treat everything with extra care. Using caution will allow you to learn how to spot Coronavirus scams. You and your family have enough to worry about without having to worry about identity theft. Stay alert and stay safe. 

Posted on

Scams Targeted At The Elderly

Older couple holding hands

In the technological age we currently live in, it can be difficult for older adults to keep up. Whether it be learning how to use a computer or cell phone, it can seem like a daunting task. On top of learning to use technology, there are scams targeted at the elderly which seek to take advantage of them. Most elderly folks didn’t grow up with the types of scams and schemes we encounter today. Even if you’re tech-savvy, it can be difficult to catch on to many of the data breaches and schemes that are present. Below, we will go over a few of the scams that look to take advantage of older generations. 

Common Scams Targeting The Elderly

Social Security – Many elderly individuals live on a fixed income. In addition, for many older people their main source of income is their Social Security check. An individual may receive a call or e-mail from someone claiming to work for the Social Security Administration. This “staffer” will attempt to obtain personal information or money from the victim. The elderly may be informed that there is an issue with their account or that they are owed money from the SSA. Both tactics are employed to try and extract sensitive information. 

If you received a phone call from the entity that supplies you with your main source of income, you can see where it would be easy to comply with their requests. Never give out personal information over the phone or through e-mail unless you know it is 100% legitimate. If you feel unsure, hang up and call the Social Security Administration yourself. 

Lottery Or Sweepstakes – In a similar vein to the Social Security scam, a criminal may prey on the elderly’s financial situation claiming that they have won or could win a jackpot. The person on the other end of the line (or e-mail) may say that they have to collect taxes or fees in order to receive the prize. These scams can even go so far as to send you a fraudulent check that you need to deposit, afterward sending back a portion of the money. Any variation of this scheme is intended to obtain money or bank information. As nice as winning a jackpot would be, never deposit a check from an unknown source or divulge any personal information. 

Tech Support – An “IT support” technician contacts the elderly to tell them that their computer has been infected with a virus. This “technician” will then coerce you to allow them remote access to your device. Once they have access, the thief will search your computer for files containing important information or they may request to be paid for their services. The average loss in this type of scheme is $500. Never allow access to your devices or provide payment to an IT technician, unless it was you who made the initial call to the support number provided with your computer.

Romance – This scam targets lonely elderly folks who may be looking for companionship or love. A message will be received on social media or through a dating site which is intended to start up a dialogue. The scammer may pretend like they are someone from your past that you may not remember, otherwise known as “catfishing”. If they are convincing enough, the scammer and the elderly individual may start chatting frequently and creating a bond. 

These online relationships can continue on for weeks or months, until the elderly (though this happens to people of all ages) feels comfortable with them. They may even speak on the phone daily until the elderly feel like they truly know the person on the other end. Eventually, the “friend” will ask for money. It may be for a medical procedure or for travel expenses to come visit you. In the instance of money for travel, the friend will come up with an excuse as to why they couldn’t make it. They may even try and ask for money again in the future. In this scenario, the person being catfished will not only be out money, but they will have to suffer with heartbreak as well. This is one of the most common scams targeted at the elderly. Never give money to someone you’ve never met in person. 

Grandparent – You may receive a call from your “grandchild” asking for money to deal with an emergency. Often, these calls will happen in the middle of the night and be very fast-moving and frantic. It may not sound exactly like your grandson or granddaughter, but the thief could have done an internet search on your real grandchild. They can cobble together a fairly believable story so that you will send them money. Being that you don’t want to leave your “grandchild” in peril, you succumb to the pressure. Never give money to someone who calls you. Your best plan of action is to hang up and call your grandchild back or call a relative who may know more than you.

Natural Disasters – In an especially disturbing scam, thieves may target elderly people who have been affected by a natural disaster. “Contractors” will go door-to-door providing services to help correct damage sustained in a natural disaster. They may even offer you an amazing deal. However, they will require up-front payment and promise to start working tomorrow or in a few days. Never pay someone who comes to your house unsolicited, especially before the work has been done. Instead, call a reputable contractor on your own.

Tips For Keeping The Elderly Safe

  • Never give out personal information to unknown sources.
  • Do not give money to anyone who you’ve never met or who shows up unsolicited.
  • If you are a child managing your parent’s finances, don’t be afraid to seek help. Keeping track of your own finances as well as a parent’s can be very time-consuming and stressful. You may consider hiring a daily money manager to help keep your parent’s finances in line and alert you of any suspicious activity. 
  •  If your parent has a caregiver, be sure and keep a close eye on their finances. Also, you will want to ensure that all sensitive documentation in their house is safely secured. Before you hire a caregiver, make sure you hire through a licensed, bonded and insured agency. Also, require a background check be performed before the hire. Caregiver fraud is a very serious issue. 
  • Report any scams that you or your elderly friends and family may encounter. The more these scams are reported, the easier it is for authorities to track down the culprits. 

It is unfortunate that there are scams targeted at the elderly, but it seems thieves will take advantage any way they can. Keeping the elderly informed on the types of schemes they may be subjected to can go a long way in keeping their personal information and financial freedom safe.