Guard against these scams related to the coronavirus outbreak

Big national or international events often unleash a new wave of scams to take advantage of people's increased fears. Here are ones that the Attorney General is warning the public about.

Posted 1:23 p.m. Mar 20, 2020 — Updated 7:43 p.m. Mar 24, 2020

Liisa Ogburn

As unbelievable as it is in these trying times, scammers are using fears associated with the coronavirus outbreak to prey upon seniors isolated at home as they guard against infection.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein addressed this in a virtual town hall yesterday, as well as published this guide for seniors and their loved ones to refer to during this period.

Specific scams to watch out for that have been mentioned in various news sources include:

Don't believe a caller claiming to be from a medical organization saying that their coronavirus vaccine is ready and to send a payment. There is no vaccine for coronavirus.
Be wary of special deals to clean and sanitize your homes or special products, requiring payment upfront over the phone.
Scammers are also contacting people by phone and email, pretending to be doctors and hospitals that have treated a friend or relative for COVID-19, and demanding payment for that treatment.
Avoid charity scams that claim to help local families infected with coronavirus.
Some scammers are offering special opportunities to invest in new technology that prevents or cures coronavirus.
Watch out for scam emails or texts.
Be wary of fake cures. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Report scams to the North Carolina Department of Justice at ncdoj.gov/complaint or 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

For additional guidance on online scams, visit the US Attorney General's recent press release.

NOTE: This list will continue to be updated.

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