Scammers falsely offer test kits, health insurance
Scammers are using robocalls that spread disinformation about the coronavirus pandemic and lying about offering lowpriced health insurance and free coronavirus test kits.
CNN’s KFile listened to and reviewed data of coronavirus robocalls provided by the protection app No-MoRobo and found more than 60 different phone numbers falsely claiming to have free coronavirus test kits or advertising health insurance.
Another kind of robocall, sponsored by the Support American Leaders PAC, uses a recording of President Donald Trump and asks callers to sign a petition to ban flights from China. The group is not affiliated with Trump and, unlike most other super PACs, doesn’t raise money for advertisements to support Trump, either. It mostly raises funds to pay for more robocalls, which are used to raise more funds, with the owner of the group pocketing the difference. The PAC did not respond to CNN requests for comment. The coronavirus robocalls are dangerous for a myriad of reasons, said Aaron Foss, the founder of NoMoRobo.
“With all of the confusion around the mobilization efforts, you really don’t know what to believe,” Foss said over email. “With everyone on social isolation, many, many more people are at home, especially seniors,” making them more available to accept the calls and likely to give their credit card information or a donation if asked, he explained.
While there are automated calls from scammers, legitimate automated messages from federal, state and local officials continue to inform the public on the coronavirus pandemic by offering informational resources, like a referral number to the coronavirus hotline or a government website. If a robocall offers free or discounted services, contacts you without your previous consent, or tells you to press “1” or some other key to be taken off a call list, it is likely a scam call.
Consumers are advised by federal agencies not to pick up the phone if it is an unknown number and not to engage with the robocall if they do. They can also block the call using software or a service from their phone provider, and report an unwanted or illegal call to the Federal Trade Commission.
Several federal agencies oversee the fight against robocalls, including the FTC and the Federal Communications Commission.
A spokesperson for the FCC, Will Wiquist, told CNN over email they were aware of such calls and were looking into them.