By Sabrina Karl
As if the coronavirus pandemic weren’t wreaking enough havoc on Americans’ finances, scammers are busy capitalizing on the crisis as a new way to con us out of our money.
Most of their tactics come from the same playbook they’ve been relying on for a long time, because those techniques work. COVID-19 has simply given scammers a fresh opportunity to take advantage of new fears.
According to the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, many of the scams involve COVID-19 cures, vaccines, and preventative treatments. But all offers of this type are illegitimate, as there are no available vaccines yet and no known cures or preventative “silver bullets”. Stick to information from trusted healthcare sources.
Other fraudulent products are home test kits and air filters. But legitimate COVID-19 testing is only available through healthcare providers and public health systems, not via in-home DIY kits. Also, filters purporting to clean your home’s air of virus particles are ineffective.
Fraudsters are also hawking in-demand products like disinfectant sprays and wipes, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper. But after you buy, the products never show up. As with all online purchases, beware of who you’re buying from. Avoid sites you’ve never heard of or whose links were sent to you by email or text, instead opting for sites you visit directly and can verify as reputable sellers.
Coronavirus scammers are also preying on Americans’ desire to help by peddling fake COVID-19 charities. If approached for a donation to any charity, always check the organization out on BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance or Charity Navigator. And if you donate, use a credit card — never donate via gift cards or wire transfers.
As always, if you are a target or victim of any consumer scam, report it to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.