Over the next several days, weeks and possibly months, consumers should be on high alert for scams related to COVID-19.
This, according to North Dakota's Director of the Attorney General's Consumer Protection and Anti-Trust Division. Parrell Grossman says scammers will no doubt capitalize on this rapidly changing situation, and the scam variations will be endless.
"It might be that you receive an email or a popup that you've been billed $399.99 for a coronavirus test, and unless you contact them at a phone number or email address with your credit card or bank account information, those charges will automatically be processed. NOT TRUE. They do not already have that financial or credit card information and if you provide it, now they will have your confidential financial information and they can steal from your account, or steal your identity."
Grossman says to be aware of counterfeit products of all kinds - such as teas, essential oils and even coronaviris test kits. Phishing emails that appear to be from medical organizations will also show up in email inboxes. Grossman says not to trust anyone asking for personal information, or promising vaccines or other treatments. He also says to be careful about scammers impersonating charitable organizations.
Grossman says to ignore all these scam attempts.