From The Tribune staff reports
BIRMINGHAM — The Birmingham Business Bureau in Birmingham is warning citizens about scams connected to COVID-19 tracing programs.
Scammers are using emails, texts and social media messages to inform potential victims that they have been exposed to coronavirus. The message contains a link for “more information” but the link can contain malware that downloads to your device.
There is also a scam that involves a robocall asking you to verify personal information.
The BBB said while contact tracers do normally reach out by phone, be sure to hang up if the caller doesn’t meet the guidelines described below.
How to tell a real contact tracer from a scam:
Contact tracers will ask you to confirm your identity, but not for financial information. Tracers will ask you to confirm your name, address, and date of birth. In most cases, they will already have this information on file. They will also ask about your current health, medical history, and recent travels. They will not ask for any government ID numbers or bank account details.
Contact tracers will identify themselves: The call should start with the tracer providing their name and identifying themself as calling from the department of health or another official team.
Contact tracing is normally done by phone call. Be extra wary of social media messages or texts.
A real contact tracer will never reveal the identity of the person who tested positive. If they provide a person’s name, you know it’s a scam.
Think the link may be real? Double check the URL. Scammers often buy official-looking URLs to use in their cons. Be careful that the link is really what it pretends to be. If the message alleges to come from the local government, make sure the URL ends in .gov (for the United States) or .ca (for Canada). When in doubt, perform a separate internet search for the website.
For More Information
To learn more about scams related to the coronavirus and how to protect yourself from them, see these BBB Tips on COVID-19. To read up on some general tips for avoiding scams, visit BBB.org/AvoidScams.
If you’ve been the victim of a coronavirus related scam, please report it on BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others to stay alert and avoid similar scams.