How to spot a COVID-19 scam
Q. New scams appear each week with COVID-19 miracle cures and products. How do we know what to believe?
A. COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, has hit North America. While this is bad news for most Americans and Canadians, it’s great news for scammers who are taking advantage of many who are anxious about the virus and are looking for cures and prevention measures. BBB warns to watch out for fake cures, phony prevention measures and other coronavirus cons.
HOW THE SCAM WORKS
A quick search on the internet reveals ads promoting preventions or a “cure” for the coronavirus. These are typically found on social media sites, sent in an unsolicited email or discovered on what looks like a legitimate medical website. The message or website contains a lot of information about this amazing product, including convincing testimonials or a conspiracy theory backstory. For example, one scam email claims the government secretly discovered a vaccine but is not releasing it for “security reasons.” The fear and anxiety of what could happen, takes over and a consumer becomes a victim.
Don’t do it! Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have an approved vaccine or drug to prevent coronavirus, although treatments are in development. No approved vaccines, drugs or products specifically for COVID-19 can be purchased online or in stores. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission recently issued warning letters to several companies claiming they had a product to cure or prevent the virus.
Peddling quack medicines is not the only way scammers are trying to cash in on coronavirus fears. Con artists are impersonating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization in phishing emails. These messages claim to have news about the disease and prompt readers to download malicious software. Another email scam tries to con people into donating to a fake fundraising effort, claiming to be a government program to develop a coronavirus vaccine. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Kentucky shut down internet operations that were trying to scam people by pre-registering for a vaccine that does not exist.
HOW TO SPOT A CORONAVIRUS CON
Spot a fraudulent health product by watching out for these red flags:
› Don’t panic. Instead, research. Retain a sense of skepticism when it comes to alarmist and conspiracy theory claims. Avoid making rush decisions into buying anything that seems too good — or crazy — to be true. Always double check information you see online with official news sources.
› Question personal testimonials and “miracle” product claims. Be cautious of products that claim to immediately cure a wide range of diseases. No one product could be effective against a long, varied list of conditions or diseases. Also, testimonials are easy to make up and are not a substitute for scientific evidence.
› Read into claims of products stating they are “all natural.” Just because it’s natural does not mean it’s good for you. All natural does not mean the same thing as safe.
› Check with your doctor. If you’re tempted to buy an unproven product or one with questionable claims, check with your doctor or other health care professional first.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Read more about coronavirus scams on the Federal Trade Commission’s website, ftc.gov and see BBB’s alert about counterfeit face masks, bbb.org. Learn more about the disease at the CDC’s FAQ page, cdc.gov.
If you have spotted a scam, report it to BBB.org/ScamTracker. Your report can help others avoid becoming a victim to scams.
Jim Winsett is president of the Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga.