| Here’s a new scam to be wary of during these already challenging times: Postal Inspectors have become aware of reports that scammers are posing as Contact Tracers in an effort to trick citizens into providing personal information.
According to the USPIS [United States Postal Inspection Service] there are many COVID related scams they are reporting. Here is what they are saying about the COVID Contact Tracing Scam: A Contact Tracer is usually a person hired by a state’s department of public health who works with a person infected with coronavirus to get the names and phone numbers for everyone they came in close contact with while infectious. Scammers are reaching out to individuals and claiming to be tracing COVID-19 contacts, then asking for their Social Security number and/or bank account information. Legitimate health agencies are calling people for contact tracing, but will not ask for Social Security numbers or bank account information, nor is there a fee or charge involved in a valid contact trace exchange. Additionally, do not click any links in email or text, and do not respond to texts saying you have been exposed to COVID-19. A legitimate health department will send you a text only alerting you that you will be called, and then provide the number which will be calling you. Read more about this and other COVID related scams on the USPIS website here. |
