Beware of Scams – Especially During COVID-19

While consumers should always watch for scams, crises present unique opportunities for thieves to try new tricks or find more people to con. Some are using more recent COVID-19 related scams, while others are working harder to get you to fall for their old ways of swindling.

What to Watch for:

• Emails asking for donations – Scammers send emails that look like they’re from a legitimate charity asking for a donation or from a company you do business with asking for a payment. Do not click on any links or attachments in emails unless you know the person who sent it or you were expecting the email, says Mike Murphy, Town and Country Bank’s Senior Vice President, Director of Technology. If you are suspicious of the email’s message but know the sender, always get verbal confirmation that it did, indeed, come directly from him or her before opening any content. For businesses asking for donations that you would like to give to, go to the groups’ websites or call phone numbers listed on their websites. When you receive an email and someone says you owe a business money, get the company’s phone number from the phone book or statements you have, then call it directly to make sure you’re talking to the real business.
• Calls or emails asking for your banking information – Scammers try to get your bank account information so they can move money from it or deposit money into it. They may gain your trust by developing a romance with you, saying you overpaid a bill and they are now needing to refund you money, playing on your generosity by saying they are sick, or pretending to be a relative who is stuck overseas and needs travel money. If they want to send you money, refuse it – it’s likely a bad check. After you deposit it, they typically say they paid you too much and ask you to send them a refund. “Never give out your banking information,” says Andrea Moore, Town and Country Bank’s Fraud Manager. “If you get anybody who’s asking you to do something that you’re unsure about, talk to your banker.”

Tips from the Federal Trade Commission:

• Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. Some scammers are claiming to be the government contacting you about your stimulus check or about the pandemic.
• Ignore online offers for vaccinations. There are no products proven to treat or prevent COVID-19 at this time.
• Be wary of ads for test kits. The FDA recently announced approval for one home test kit, which requires a doctor’s order. However, most test kits being advertised have not been approved by the FDA and aren’t necessarily accurate.
• Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
• Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use official sites like govand usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information.

The Federal Trade Commission posts information about current scams. To learn about pandemic-related scams, visit: FTC.gov or sign up for their scam alerts at FTC scam alerts.

The bottom line is when in doubt, call your banker. “We stay up to date on current scams, and we can place holds on checks so we can investigate the situation,” Moore says.