Julie Appleby reports for Kaiser Health News on the latest phone, text and email coronavirus scams. Beware of people who reach out to you claiming they are doing COVID-19 contact tracing. You should not give them any personal information, particularly your bank account information, credit card number or Social Security number.
The scammers might say they are from a local health department. And, they might tell you that you have been near someone who has COVID-19. At that point, they will typically ask you for your credit card or bank account information or for your Social Security number.
It’s possible that you will get a legitimate call from staff at a local health department about COVID-19. But, if the call is legitimate, the caller will not ask you for any personal information. Rather, the caller will know your address and birthdate and will confirm them with you to verify your identity. And, the caller will try to figure out who you have been around.
A legitimate person from a health department usually will call or text if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or if you have been near others who have tested positive. The goal is to isolate anyone who has been in contact with someone with COVID-19 so as not to spread the virus further. It is how local health departments try to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus.
If you receive a text or email with a link from someone who claims to be from your local health department, do not click on the link. And, if you have any concerns about the legitimacy of a caller, ask for the person’s name and phone number. Then, call your local health department directly to ensure the caller is legitimate.
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