Coronavirus-Related Scams Are On The Rise: How To Protect Yourself
In these uncertain times of unrest and group think fueled by the media and numerous internet sites, one must always keep from getting caught up in fear and panic. As the founder of our firm, I have often advised our employees, “Trust with verification;” it is all the more important today due to the recent Coronavirus pandemic. Unfortunately, times like this create opportunities for unscrupulous individuals looking to prey on that panic and uncertainty.
Recent scams JCI has been made aware of consist of phone calls selling hard to purchase items such as hand sanitizer, medical masks, medical gloves, medical testing kits, and even healthcare professionals willing to come to your home for testing. Historically, “donation scams” have often increased during trying times, targeting the people most affected by the virus — patients, healthcare workers, and first responders.
“The US Secret Service warned Americans about “phishing,” a widely-used scam where an email appears to be from a reputable company, such as a major bank or tech company, with the aim of getting victims to hand over sensitive personal information like usernames, passwords and credit card information. Recently, one such scam popped up in February. In that case, a bogus coronavirus-related email claimed to be from the World Health Organization (WHO).”
Brooke Crothers | Fox News
These scams often target older, middle-class to upper-middle-class individuals that are easily found on the internet. Relatives or associated individuals are often identified on everyday Google searches, providing the criminal with information that lends credibility. Never deal with anyone financially after receiving an unsolicited call; never make a quick decision without verifying the company’s existence and track record.
Additionally, there has been a rash of phone scams claiming to be the IRS, State Division of Taxation, and the Social Security Administration. The caller poses as an employee of one of the above agencies and demands instant payment or face criminal charges. Rest assured, this is not how these Federal agencies work; if there were an issue with back-owed taxes, letters would be mailed to the individual before any civil action would commence. Other recent phone scams have created instant panic and fear in their victims by claiming a loved one, son, daughter, grandson or granddaughter have suffered a tragedy such as a recent arrest, a vehicular accident, victim of a kidnapping, etc.
One such recent case took place approximately a week ago involving a client’s elderly mother; it was particularly disturbing because the perpetrator physically came to the victim’s residence and collected the first portion of cash proceeds. The female victim resides in an upper middle class gated community identified as a 55+ community. A simple Google search would provide the physical layout of the community, including the security guard booth and recent sales of homes within the community — all of which were above $900K — making the residents an extremely attractive target due to the assumption of disposable cash. The initial call to the victim claims to be the victim’s grandson, stating, “Grandma, grandma, I need help, don’t tell Mom.” The phone is then quickly handed off (or the criminal changes his voice) to someone who sounds like an older authoritative male, identifying himself as an attorney. This individual now explains to the victim her grandson was arrested for texting and getting into an automobile accident; he refers to the victim’s grandson by his correct full name, and explains that money is needed immediately to post bail.
Luckily, JCI became involved in the matter and along with the cooperation of the community’s security company, the perpetrator was identified and charged with the felony fraud. Usually, the criminal does not physically come and collect the proceeds. Instructions are often provided to mail or Fed-Ex cash, send store gift cards, or to initiate a Western Union wire transfer; these are the most common forms of payment. After discussing the fraud, it sounds incomprehensible that the victim would participate and follow the criminal’s instructions, however, the criminals are talented con artists and prey on people’s fears and emotions. Victims are very often so embarrassed by the fraud that they never report it to the police or family members. Some of the wealthiest and most successful people in society fall victim to financial fraud each year—having money and holding onto it is a great responsibility. Often the victims are living alone and don’t have another individual present warning them to verify a story before proceeding with any conversation with a stranger.
If you find yourself in a situation similar to the ones described above, JCI recommends using caution before making a hasty decision. You can protect yourself by:
Calling a friend, family member, or neighbor to verify the situation.
Write down the phone number as it appears on your caller ID. Ask the individuals on the phone for the name, address, and phone number of any company they claim to represent. The phone number they provide should match what appears on your caller ID.
Run a simple internet search for the name of the company, address, and phone number — this can confirm the existence of prior fraudulent behavior.
Do not pick up any phone calls that marked as “potential spam” or “blocked” by your carrier.
Calmly take detailed notes using a pen and paper so that you’ll remember important details.
In addition, the FBI has developed a very helpful page on their official website detailing scams related to the COVID-19 epidemic.
Situations like this can be stressful, but it’s important to not allow panic, anxiety, greed or empathy to influence your decision making. JCI will gladly speak with anyone about an uncertain situation and offer our many years of experience and advice.
John W. Cutter, Founder
John Cutter Investigations, Inc.