The following information has been received from the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Maryland.
Although your police department has not received any complaints regarding this information, we wanted our citizens to be aware.
AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS
Scammers are taking advantage of fears surrounding the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) to steal money and personal information. Don’t let them.
Protect Yourself
Hang up on robocalls.
Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from fake
Coronavirus treatments to make money from home schemes.
There is currently no approved treatment or cure for COVID-19.
Verify information.
Contact trusted sources to confirm information is correct. For the
most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at www.cdc.gov.
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 click on links from sources you don’t know.
They could download viruses onto your computer or device.
Do your homework.
Be wary of strangers who ask for money or personal information
over the phone. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card,
or by wiring money, don’t do it. Make sure you do your homework
on the caller. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation.
Report Coronavirus Fraud
If you believe you were a victim of a scam, call local law enforcement and file a complaint online or by phone:
National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF): 1-866-720-5721;
www.IC3.gov (cyber)
Additional Information
www.cdc.gov www.coronavirus.gov www.FDA.gov ftc.gov/coronavirus https://www.justice.gov/usao-md