The Department of Justice is warning people to be aware of scams that are cropping up as a result of the fear brought on by the Coronavirus.
“The Department of Justice is remaining vigilant in detecting, investigating, and prosecuting wrongdoing related to the crisis,” The Department said in an official news release on Monday.
Attorney General Barr said in a memo to U.S. Attorneys, “The pandemic is dangerous enough without wrongdoers seeking to profit from public panic and this sort of conduct cannot be tolerated.”
These criminals are attempting to exploit the panic and fear of COVID-19 worldwide through a variety of scams. There have been reports of:
- 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 virus-related information to gain and lock access to your devices until payment is received.
- Seeking donations fraudulently for illegitimate or non-existent charitable organizations.
The Justice Department is urging the public to stay vigilant, as they say that the criminals will likely continue to use new methods to exploit COVID-19 worldwide.
If you think you are a victim of a scam or attempted fraud involving COVID-19, you can report it without leaving your home through a number of platforms. Go to:
- Contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via email at disaster@leo.gov
- Report it to the FBI at tips.fbi.gov
- If it’s a cyber scam, submit your complaint through https://www.ic3.gov/default.aspx
