JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. (KSNT) — Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said Thursday one of the multiple coronavirus scams going around has hit the county.
He said a few people in Jackson County have gotten robocalls claiming the person being called needs to call a specific phone number to get more information about their COVID-19 test results.
“These scam calls play on the fears of individuals with the recent pandemic,” Morse wrote in a news release Thursday. “Scammers phish for personal information including financial information. Do not fall prey to these scammers. Your local health department or your primary care physician will contact you directly by phone with results from any Covid-19 testing. Notifications will not be given via text messages or email.”
Sheriff Morse wants people to be aware of the other coronavirus scams going on so no one falls victim. They include:
- Contact tracing scam: A scammer will contact an unsuspecting person either through the phone or alone. The scammer will tell the person that they have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 or has symptoms. This type of scam will require giving out personal information.
- Clicking on links from sources you don’t know: Ignore online offers for vaccinations. Also, if you want to donate to any organization, do your homework first. Don’t rush into making a donation. If anyone asks for a donation in cash, gift card, or wire transfer, don’t do it.
- Agents from Centers for Disease Control: Beware of emails from scammers pretending to be agents or from other public organizations. No legitimate medical provider will ask for sensitive information through email.
- U.S. Treasury calls: Beware of people calling with offers related to Covid-19 grants or stimulus payments in exchange for personal financial information.
- Expedited stimulus checks and phony business loan sites: Scammers will claim to be selling hard to get medical supplies. The buyer sends payment and never receives the product. There are also scammers who claim to be medical personnel who are demanding payment for testing, and for treatment that a family member has received.
Morse said scammers are nothing more than thieves who prey on the unsuspecting and vulnerable. Don’t become the next victim. Report scams to your law enforcement agency.
