Contact tracing is the process of identifying people who have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, instructing them to quarantine and monitoring their symptoms daily. The Federal Trade Commission reports that residents are now getting spam messages from scammers who are pretending to be contact tracers. Ernest Figueroa has more information about how you can not fall for this scam…
There’s no question, contact tracing plays a vital role in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. But scammers, pretending to be contact tracers are taking advantage of how the process works. Here are tips to know if you are being contacted by a scammer pretending to be a contact tracer:
Real contact tracers won’t ask you for money, and they will not ask for payment by gift card, money transfer, or cryptocurrency.
Contact tracing doesn’t require your bank account or credit card number. Don’t share this information with anyone.
Legitimate contact tracers will never ask for your Social Security number.
Your immigration status doesn’t matter for contact tracing, so real tracers won’t ask.
Do not click on a link in a text or email. Doing so can download malware onto your device.
Be wary of suspicious emails, phone calls, and text messages. Contact your local health department to verify that the call or messages are valid, think before clicking on any links, and be aware of suspicious attachments.
