CORONAVIRUS

Gaston residents urged to be leery for coronavirus scams

Michael Banks
mbanks@gastongazette.com

People are being asked to remain vigilant not only with social distancing, but also be alert to if something sounds too good to be true.

Everything from fake cures for the coronavirus to non-existent charitable organizations to groups posing as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been reported as scam artists seek to gain access to a person’s personal and financial information, as well as their money, during this world pandemic.

Gastonia Police detectives had not yet investigated any locally reported coronavirus schemes as of noon Tuesday, March 24, but people should remain wary, said spokeswoman Donna Lahser.

She said if any city residents fall victim to what they feel is a scam, they should first contact their financial institution and then file a report with Gastonia Police.

Mike Radford, assistant chief with the Gaston County Sheriff’s Office, said prepaid cards are still the method of choice for most scammers. That should always raise a red flag, he said.

“Even in a state of emergency, we’re still not going to ask someone to go get prepaid cards, or scratch off cards and get the numbers off the back. If you’ve got a fine to pay, you will pay it in person and you will get a receipt,” Radford said.

As of now, the Sheriff’s Office hasn’t heard of any new scams involving the coronavirus, but he said it wouldn’t surprise him to see the scam artists tie in old scams, such as payment via prepaid cards, with the COVID-19 relief efforts.

“Do not go to the stores and get monies owed. The county government doesn’t operate like that. We’re not going to call you on the phone and say we can settle this on the phone. No county government is going to take payment for anything with the prepaid card.”

Radford also urged Gaston County residents to use caution when contacted either by phone or online by someone claiming to be from a charitable organization.

“Don’t give out any personal information and, at this time, if I’m not 100 percent sure of what group I’m giving to, I’d probably refrain unless I know exactly who I’m talking to and what organization is taking money,” Radford said. “It’s always good to give, but at same time, we still need to be cautious about getting the money to where it needs to be.”

Andrew Murray, the U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, is urging the public to report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline (1-866-720-5721) or e-mail disaster@leo.gov.

“It is utterly despicable that scammers will try to profit from the COVID-19 national crisis, but fraudsters will stop at nothing to make a buck,” Murray said in a press release. “Reporting scams will help us investigate and prosecute wrongdoers, and track scams so we can warn the public about emerging schemes.”

Some examples of the schemes include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake cures for COVID-19 online and engaging in other forms of fraud.

• Phishing emails from entities posing as the World Health Organization or the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

• Malicious websites and apps that appear to share coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.

• Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.

• Medical providers obtaining patient information for COVID-19 testing and then using that information to fraudulently bill for other tests and procedures.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Jenny Sugar has been appointed the coronavirus fraud coordinator for this part of North Carolina. An experienced prosecutor, Sugar oversees the district’s white collar fraud unit. She will direct the prosecution of coronavirus-related crimes.

The Better Business Bureau is also warning people, many of who are facing financial uncertainty in the midst of business closings, to be leery of any unsolicited messages or emails about supposed job opportunities.

“Employment scams generally try to imposter well-known brands so it will look like job notices from a company that you know,” said Katherine Hutt, a spokesperson for the BBB. “They will attempt to get people to sign up for some kind of an employment application or HR forms with the purpose of stealing your personal identifiable information.”

She said the BBB expects to see more criminals prey during the economic uncertainty in the wake of the pandemic.

“Scammers are opportunists and they will go wherever people are in need and right now people are in need of funds, in need of jobs so we do expect to see employment scams go up as this crisis continues,” Hutt said.

You can reach Michael Banks at 704-869-1842, email mbanks@gastongazette.com and follow on Twitter @MichaelBanksNC.

The Gaston Gazette has lifted the paywall on its website for coverage of the COVID-19 coronavirus, to help readers make critical decisions for themselves and their families.

• Do not purchase items that purport to cure COVID-19. Currently there are no vaccines, pills, drinks, lotions or any other product available on the market that can treat or cure COVID-19.

• Do not click on links or reply to texts from unknown sources as they may download malware and viruses to computers or devices.

• Instead of clicking on emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO, go directly to websites for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov) and the World Health Organization (www.who.int) to obtain information.

• When it comes to donations, do not let a scammer rush you into making a donation. Instead, take the time to do extensive research online.

• Do not make a donation in cash, via gift card or a wire transfer, and do not provide your banking information or debit card numbers.

Tips to avoid COVID-19 scams