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Coronavirus (covid-19) Scams

Watch out for fraudulent and unapproved COVID-19 antibodies tests  

Tips to help you protect yourself from robocall and text scams, including coronavirus scams:

  • Always be wary of any unsolicited offers that require you to provide your insurance or doctor’s information.
  • 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.
  • Do not click any links in a text message from an unknown sender.

Contact Tracing scams

Contact tracing is a public health technique used to identify individuals who have had close contact with someone known to have the virus. Because of the urgent need to notify those that may have been exposed, tracers will often use a variety of methods to contact the individual, including calls and text messages.  Many states are using text messages for their initial contact tracing outreach. After the initial text, most legitimate contact tracing work is done over the phone. Legitimate tracers will need to confirm your name, address, and birthday. This is information that they already have – so you won’t need to provide it to them. 

What scammers are doing:  Scammers are impersonating contact tracers in texts and calls, claiming the contacted party has been exposed to COVID-19 and needs to act quickly. Scam text messages often include links to websites that request Social Security numbers or insurance information. Some even attempt to collect bogus payments for testing. Clicking these links can also download malware onto a mobile device, allowing scammers to access your personal data. In addition to bogus texts, identity thieves are also using robocalls and voicemail call-back tracing scams to steal a target’s money, personal details, and insurance information. 

Be aware, legitimate contact tracers will not ask for:

  • Insurance information
  • Bank account information
  • Credit card numbers
  • Social Security numbers
  • Other types of payment info

If a caller asks for any of the above, hang up and never click on a link in a text message from an unknown sender.

Avoid other Coronavirus scams:

  • Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). If the email is purportedly from an official organization, do your due diligence and check it by going to their official website or contact them through their official channels to verify the veracity of the email.
  • Hang up on robocalls. Don’t press any numbers. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls, instead.
  • Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits. Scammers are trying to get you to buy products that aren’t proven to treat or prevent the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — online or in stores. At this time, there also are no FDA-authorized home test kits for the Coronavirus. Visit the FDA to learn more.
  • Fact-check information. Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified. Before you pass on any messages, contact trusted sources. Visit What the U.S. Government is Doing for links to federal, state and local government agencies.
  • Know who you’re buying from. Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies when, in fact, they don’t.
  • Don’t respond to texts and emails about checks from the government. The details are still being worked out. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
  • Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device and make sure the anti-malware and anti-virus software on your computer is up to date.
  • Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don't do it.
  • Be alert to "investment opportunities" that claim prevention, detection, or cure Coronavirus and that the stock of these companies will dramatically increase in value as a result.

Suspicious offers

Look out for suspicious offers and never order anything from an unverified vendor. If the offer or discount looks too good to be true, it usually is.   Always be vigilant and find and evaluate reviews about the vendor.

Masks and other high-demand products
Watch out for scams that involve products that are in high demand, but whose availability is severely limited. A fraudulent website can be offering scarce or discounted products like face masks since face masks are scarce.  By purchasing the mask, you could be falling for a phishing attack and exposing your sensitive personal and payment data to the fraudsters.

Fake testing kits
Fraudsters are offering either fake or non-existent coronavirus testing kits under the guise of medical officials with the necessary certification for their products. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is cracking down heavily on these sellers and has issued warnings that it has not authorized any tests that could be purchased by people to test themselves.

Malware & viruses

The World Health Organization (WHO) or national healthcare organizations make ideal targets for fraudsters to impersonate.  An example of their tactics would be to contact you via email asserting that the attachment contains pertinent information to help protect you from the disease. The attachments may contain a Trojan virus designed to steal your personal data.

Business Scams

Late payments and urgent orders
  • Scenerio 1: Companies are shifting to working from home while factories are either ramping up production or limiting their operations depending on the products they manufacture.  Fraudsters are impersonating company representatives sending out urgent purchase orders for various materials. As some companies may be in desperate need to have at least some kind of revenue, the recipient may just click on the attached file without giving it further thought. 
  • Scenerio 2: Fraudsters send a business a proof of payment so that their supposed order gets taken care of. The attached file may contain a Trojan injector.

Protect yourself from Medicare scams

Scammers are offering COVID-19 tests to Medicare beneficiaries in exchange for personal details, including Medicare information. However, the services are unapproved and illegitimate.  Fraudsters are targeting beneficiaries in a number of ways, including telemarketing calls, social media platforms, and door-to-door visits.

These scammers use the coronavirus pandemic to benefit themselves, and beneficiaries face potential harms. The personal information collected can be used to fraudulently bill Federal health care programs and commit medical identity theft. If Medicare or Medicaid denies the claim for an unapproved test, the beneficiary could be responsible for the cost.

How to stay safe:
  • Beneficiaries should be cautious of unsolicited requests for their Medicare or Medicaid numbers.
  • Be suspicious of any unexpected calls or visitors offering COVID-19 tests or supplies. If your personal information is compromised, it may be used in other fraud schemes.
  • Ignore offers or advertisements for COVID-19 testing or treatments on social media sites.
  • A physician or other trusted healthcare provider should assess your condition and approve any requests for COVID-19 testing.
  • If you suspect COVID-19 fraud, contact the Department of Justice at https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/

This information is provided as part of our partnership with eFraud Prevention. For more information on fraud and how to protect yourself from scams, please visit our eFraud Prevention page.