US Attorney: Stay Alert for Coronavirus Scammers

There’s always those ready to take advantage of people’s emotions and fears, and the coronavirus is no exception.

U.S. Attorney Mark A. Klaassen of the District of Wyoming has issued another warning and request that Wyoming citizens report any suspicious activity or schemes related to COVID-19. The only way government and law enforcement agencies can protect citizens and stop scammers from perpetuating their fraud is to be caught in the act and reported to authorities. Some examples of potential fraud schemes to be aware of include:

• Individuals and businesses selling fake testing kits, masks, treatments, or 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.
• Robo-calls or phishing emails purporting to be airline or other travel cancellation communications that are actually scams used to collect personal information.
• Malicious websites and ransomware apps that appear to share Coronavirus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
• Persons 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.
• Price gouging on high demand consumer products.

If any of these schemes reaches you, call the National Center for Disaster Fraud hotline, either by phone or by email.

Report suspected fraud schemes related to COVID-19 (the Coronavirus) by calling the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) hotline (1-866-720-5721) or to the NCDF e-mail address disaster@leo.gov.