Covid-19 Related Scams & Fraud

The IRS and Treasury Department are delivering the second round of Economic Impact Payments and additional payments may be seen in the future. As with the first round of payments, many recipients will receive these payments by direct deposit. For more information regarding the second round of Economic Impact Payments, please refer to this press release given by the IRS and Treasury Department.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued the following reminders to help you recognize and avoid common scams trying to take advantage of the second round of Economic Impact Payments:

• The government will not ask you to pay anything to receive an Economic Impact Payment
• The government will not call, text, email, or contact you on social media to ask for your Social Security, credit union/bank account, or credit card number
• There is no way to receive an Economic Impact Payment early or faster

If you are contacted by someone requesting payment or information or making claims regarding Economic Impact Payments, you should not provide your information.

With community spread and positive cases of the virus, there is an added urgency for contact tracing. Depending on local health department procedures, legitimate contact tracers may call, email, text or visit you at home to collect information. They may ask your name and address, health-related information, the people you’ve been in contact with and places you have recently visited.

Fraudsters impersonating contract tracers may ask for additional sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, health insurance information, and they may even ask you to pay for their services. Do not share any sensitive personal or financial information over the phone, by text, via email, on websites or in person. Actual contact tracers will not require payment and will not ask for this information.

If you are contacted and are unsure of the validity of the communication you receive, check with your local health department using contact information you have independently verified to find out if the person is an official contact tracer.

As the vaccine distribution begins, fraudsters are selling fake COVID-19 antibody testing kits and vaccines while also attempting to obtain individuals’ personal and health insurance information. Personal identifying information and health insurance information could potentially be used later in health insurance, Medicare or identity theft scams. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns the public to be aware of the following potential indicators of fraudulent activity:

• Claims of FDA approval for antibody testing, treatment or vaccine that cannot be verified
• Advertisements for antibody testing, treatment, or vaccines through social media platforms, email, telephone calls, online, or from unsolicited/unknown sources
• Requests for money to pay for a vaccine or to put your name on a COVID-19 vaccine waiting list
• Marketers offering to sell and/or ship doses of a vaccine, domestically or internationally, in exchange for payment of a deposit or fee

To protect yourself against COVID-19 vaccine-related fraud, the FBI recommends the following precautions:

• Consult your state’s health department website for up-to-date information about authorized vaccine distribution channels and only obtaining a vaccine through such channels
• Check the FDA’s website for current information about vaccine emergency use authorizations
• Do not share your personal or health information with anyone other than known and trusted medical professionals
• Check your medical bills and insurance explanation of benefits (EOBs) for any suspicious claims and promptly report any errors to your health insurance provider

• Do not give out your financial information, online Member Access, or SECU app login credentials to anyone in response to a call, email or text
• Do not engage in conversations with scammers or thieves; simply hang up or delete suspicious texts and emails
• Unless you are sure of a website’s validity and where the link will take you, do not open links in emails or websites
• Do not let yourself be “hurried” into a decision before you have had time to think about it or discuss it with a trusted friend or family member