With COVID cases spiking, contact tracers may be more important than ever – and the scammers know it! The Federal Trade Commission put out an official warning to beware of fake tracers who are posing as government employees. These scammers are trying to scare you into exposing your personal and financial information.
You would be surprised how many smart people fall for this scam.
You probably think to yourself – I would NEVER fall for that. I would never give out my personal information to some stranger on the phone. But what if they told you were exposed to the Coronavirus? Or what if they told you that you might have been exposed on a recent visit that you made to your local grocery store or when you stopped to get gas? Kind of changes your outlook a bit doesn’t it!
So, how can you tell the difference between what is legit and what is a scam?
A REAL contact tracer, would NEVER ask for your financial information, social security number, or address. And when it comes to fake emails (that look very real), don’t click on anything. Once you click on the link for more information, malware is installed on your device. You just opened the door and gave a criminal access to everything that you do on that device, including checking your bank account balances, communicating with friends and family through text messages, social media access – everything!
Here’s the thing, a state contract tracer might reach out to you. And you shouldn’t hesitate to talk to them. But they will only ask you for your name and date of birth. If they ask for anything else, it’s a red flag.
Don’t fall for it!